Unicorns and Angels: Into the Spotlight
by 739678
Summary: A continuation of the Unicorns and Angels series. After two turbulent years, everyone is hoping 2015 will be peaceful. With the added bond of a diner, the New Directions and the Warblers continue to make their way in the world, under the watchful eye of four angels, sharing the good times, and helping each other through the bad.
1. Prologue

The sun had already set and darkness had fallen.

In the streets of New York however, the street lights shone and on many of those streets, other brighter lights glowed. This was of course no more true than in Times Square, where masses of people walked through the streets; visitors and residents jostling for space on the crowded sidewalks as the traffic inched by slowly.

It was a Saturday night, and those heading to see shows on the Great White Way mingled with those that had come out to enjoy a meal, or just to soak up the atmosphere. Tonight was special, though. It was the Italian restaurants that would be especially busy that night, the best ones fully booked a long time ago. It was a phenomenon that there was no real explanation behind, though some had suggested that two fictional star crossed lovers known throughout the world might have a little something to do with it. Tonight was for romance, for lovers old and new. It was after all the feats day of St Valentine.

In one corner of the great metropolis though, Valentine's Day was actually the last thing on the minds of a group of young people united by their love of song, a shared past in Ohio, and the ability to see four of their friends who had become angels after their deaths, and who still meant so much to all of them.

Sure, Nick Sterling-Duval had been woken that morning to the vision of his husband Jeff standing at the bedside with a tray on which he carried breakfast - juice, coffee and scrambled eggs served up on heart shaped slices of toast. Grace Duval woke to find a box of her favourite chocolates and a single red rose on her bedside table, with a card signed with the message ' _All of my love, forever, Your CJ._ ' In the room next to the Sterling-Duval's, Mike Chang woke, looked at the sleeping Tina for a moment, and then woke her up with kiss after kiss. Cards were exchanged, and small tokens of love exchanged. Yes, Cupid had fired his arrow in many directions.

Love and romance was not however the main thing on any of their minds that day. It was the day which marked the end of a whirlwind of activity which had begun on New Year's Day. It was the thing which kept them busy for the whole of Valentine's Day itself. The paperwork for the deal which meant that the Spotlight Diner became theirs could have been signed off the day before, but none of them had wished to take the risk of signing anything on Friday the Thirteenth. It wasn't that any of them were overly superstitious in the main, but it just seemed advisable to hold off one more day. At lunchtime that day, signatures had been applied to a piece of paper; there had been a symbolic shake of hands, and keys had been handed over one final time.

It was theirs, lock, stock and piano. They had bought a diner.

Now just before 8pm, Santana Lopez stood outside at the kerb, oblivious to the world around her as she looked through the plate glass windows at the scene inside. It didn't seem that long ago that she had been standing in the same spot, waiting for the time to come when she was due to interview for a waitressing job. At the time, she had been feeling a bit down about her life. It was not going to plan at all. Now, it was back on track, and a lot of that was down to this place. She had met Dani here, now one of here most trusted friends and confidants. She had ended up with first Rachel and then Kurt working here alongside her. Blaine had come later with Sam, and at last her beloved Brittany. Tragedy had come along, and it had hit them all so hard, but this place had remained as a rock; a place to find both comfort and solace. And now, it was hers - well, at least a twelfth of it was. Her friends had now become her business partners as well. This was the new focal point for all of them - no longer were they divided into McKinley and Dalton alumni. The Spotlight Diner was the solid thing that would cement their friendships. This was their place now, to laugh, to sing and to remember.

The road to this point had not been an easy one, that much was true. At one point, it had been so complicated that they had nearly agreed to call Gunther and tell him to sell it to Chipotle. They had got there though, helped by a variety of things, some of them more luck than design…


	2. First Steps to Partnership

**First Steps to Partnership.**

The news that the Spotlight Diner was up for sale had been quickly relayed by Santana to those of her friends that were gathered there in the first minutes of 2015. Fast forward just over fifteen hours, and she had found herself back in the diner on shift again. It was not that busy, and of her friends, only Brittany and Mike were actually rostered to work. She wasn't in the least surprised though when Sam walked in with Jeff at his side, closely followed by Nick and Rachel.

"Santana, we need to talk about buying this place," Sam said, almost the moment that he caught sight of her. "I've talked it over with Rachel, and she is in favour; she knows first hand after all that this place is a good business, and that we would be absolutely mad to pass up on the opportunity to purchase it."

"Same with me and Nick," said Jeff. "We want in, and Nick is more than happy to keep on coming in and helping out as he does now. As he says, he would have an even bigger incentive to do so as a co-owner."

As he finished, mike suddenly spoke up. He had walked over as he saw his friends arrive, and had heard the majority of their conversation. "I know that I am the new boy here, but I would like to buy in too. It makes sense for me to have something to fall back on if my dancing career doesn't take off. It's the same for all of us really. If we want to work in the arts, then we need to have something to tide us over through the lean times, and this place could well be it."

"Mike has a good point," said Nick. "I think that we as a group could really make a go of this place. We all have some experience of working here. Admittedly, Santana has the most. That's why Gunther offered the place to her. He knows that she has the ability to keep this place going."

Santana blushed, then corrected him. "No, Nick, _we_ have the ability to keep this place going. We can do this, but it will have to be a team effort. I have my classes at NYADA, and so does Sam. Jeff has his art school, Mike has Julliard. I think the first fact that we have to face is that if we do decide to do this, we will need to hire a manager; somebody that can be here, day to day, like Gunther was. The next fact we need to face is that even if all of us here take a share, it is going to be expensive. This is a prime site after all, and a highly lucrative business. I am positive that Gunther could get far more for this place than he is selling it to us for, if he wanted to. So, if we are all serious about buying…" she paused, and watched as her friends nodded at her "…then we have to discuss this. Do we open up the deal to other people? We all heard what Dave said last night. Do we let them in on this, and if we do, then on what terms?"

"In principal," said Mike, "I think that we should. We could give them a share of the profits, if there are any - sorry, but I had to say it - and maybe we could ask them to work here for free for so many hours a year, as a gesture. By working here I mean waiting tables, or even just getting up on the stage and singing…"

"Sounds fair to me," said Sam. "though maybe we could allow them to pay something back instead of working? I mean, if Puck wanted in, he couldn't just get up and walk out of the base to do a shift. If David, Thad or Mercedes wanted in, it is quite a way to travel just for a few hours work."

"At the same time, though," said Jeff, "we don't want to have too many shareholders in the first place. Decision making would become very fraught, and there is no Wes around to bang a gavel at us."

"Or a Mr Schue to intervene," said Rachel with a smile.

"So it would appear that we are all in agreement that we should let other people in on the deal and purchase a share of ownership," Santana summed up. "Might I suggest that we send out a quick group text explaining the idea, and see what kind of response we get from it?" There was immediate agreement, and it fell to Mike to compose a message explaining the basic principles of the deal. He sent it, and that meant only one thing - they just had to wait to see what reply they would get.

The response was much more rapid than any of them had anticipated. The text had barely been sent before they received a reply from Sebastian, basically saying that he was on his way as he definitely wanted in, but on one condition - he could share his stake with Dave. The next response came from Flint, again saying that he would be very interested in becoming a shareholder; but regretting that he could not head back to the city right away as he had to work that evening. He also wished to share any stake with Beats, although initially he would be the one that injected all the capital. The next reply came in the form of a phone call from Trent to Nick, saying that he and Rory wanted in, and both of them would be more than happy to come up to New York once weekend a month to work, as long as somebody taught him waiter skills. This was the first solid offer to come in with a pledge to work, and they all agreed that this gave the two of them an edge over the others, although they were all equally sure that both Sebastian and Flint would accept the concept too.

After that initial flurry, there was silence. They had expected it really. What they did not anticipate was for the door to be flung open, and for Artie and Cooper to come in one behind the other. They had met each other at the subway, and had laughed out loud when they realised that they were both heading to the same place, and for exactly the same reason. As the eyes of their friends turned to the, they turned to each other, smiled, and then said in unison "We want in!" They got a laugh for that.

"I can work every Monday if you need me to," said Cooper. "I won't have a show on those days."

"And I can wait tables, no problem. In fact, I have an advantage. I can take a tray on my lap, with no risk whatsoever of dropping it." They all had to agree that Artie made a very good point in his favour.

It turned into an interesting evening. When Sebastian arrived with Dave, the two of them, along with Cooper and Artie were presented with aprons, and told that tonight was their audition for a share in the diner. None of them failed. Cooper and Sebastian ended up working together as a duo, and charmed every single table that they served. Artie proved his point and found his niche too, with his ability to take an entire table their food at one go. When he got up onto the stage and sang, his sweet soulful voice made the whole room stop and listen. As for Dave, it turned out that he was a natural behind the counter, dealing with orders, serving drinks and ringing up sales on the register one after the other, with no mistakes. They would certainly be joining the shareholders.

By the time that the first week of the year drew to its close, Flint, Beats, Trent and Rory had all also passed their shift test; Quinn had arrived unannounced on the third day of the month; she had grabbed an apron and a pad from a bemused Mike, and four hours later she had secured herself and Puck a share. There had been a polite declining of their offer from those in L.A. As Sam had anticipated, it was just too far for David, Thad and Mercedes to travel on a regular basis, although all of them passed on their best wishes. The same was also the case of course for Ethan and Drew, back in England. One final group did however emerge and request a share - a group that styled themselves as 'The Newbies'. Kitty, Marley, Ryder, Jake and Unique had talked back and forth over Skype, and had finally agreed to ask for a joint share. After a big debate over the practicalities of offering one share to five people, the others had agreed to permit it, on the condition that they elected a spokesperson to take decisions for them. They agreed, although some people suggested that Kitty had just brow beat the rest of them, and so everything was set. There would be twelve sets of shares, some held by one person, most by two. It turned out that was the easy part…

The next step was to establish themselves as a proper, legally recognised group, with a structure in place for dealing with any internal disputes that might arise. This was a safeguard both for them and for the business - after all, the necessary permissions and licences had to be held by someone, and the group could do that. It was only when they found out exactly how much it would cost to set the company up that they got a major shock. It looked for a moment that such a huge and unexpected legal bill could knock the whole scheme on its head before it was even properly off the ground. That was until Nick and Cooper realised at the same time that they had a solution to the problem. After all, as the latter said, why date a lawyer if she can't help you out when you need it…

Ever since she had moved to New York in the aftermath of the trial of Hunter Clarington, Grace had found the city to be one of the most exciting places in the world. It was also a confusing maelstrom of people, all out it seemed to get one and other in some manner or another, at least in her professional life. It was quite a contrast to the firm that she had worked for in Denver, that was for sure. Some of her colleagues had tried their best to sink the young girl from the Rockies, but then again, they did not know that she was a tough cookie that had been born and raised just outside Chicago. She had not only managed to hold her own, but had risen to the top in her department very quickly. If she had put a few noses out of joint in the process, then so be it. Work was good, and so was home. Almost from the moment that she had met Cooper in that courtroom she had felt something; that had slowly grown as time went on. She could not imagine him being absent from her life now. He was a born showman, but she did find it hard to believe the tales that she had been told of the obnoxious idiot that he had been in the past. She admitted quite freely that she loved him; they had the sweet romantic dates and the quiet nights in that she craved. He had surprised her with his culinary skills, and she had even got used to having him walking around the house in high heels in preparation for his forthcoming Broadway debut. A lawyer and a Broadway star in the making were an unusual combination, but hey, for them it worked.

She should have smelt a rat the moment that she walked through the front door that cold Friday evening in January. He should have been at the theatre, so it was a big shock to walk in and see a table set, candles lit, and smell lasagne cooking in the kitchen. She had found him in front of the stove the moment she walked in there; he had kissed her chastely on the cheek, taken her coat, and sent her back to the table with a glass of excellent red wine. There was a starter of minestrone soup, a bowl of tiramisu for afters. It was all absolutely delicious, and it was only after she had been sitting in the lounge for ten minutes whilst Cooper stacked the dishwasher that she suddenly thought to herself - what was all of this in aid of? When he came back into the room, she just asked him straight out - "What do you want Coop?" When he told her, she was reluctant to get involved at first, but then he pointed out that she wouldn't just be doing it for him, but for her brother and his husband too. That left her feeling guilty and conflicted. She loved Cooper, Nick and Jeff to bits, but at that moment she hated them for the simple fact that they had just stolen her weekend of rest and relaxation. And, she realised, probably several other days well into the future.

She had done it for them anyway. It wasn't that difficult a document to draft when all was said and done, not that she told them that. All that was really needed was a legally watertight document stating the terms of the partnership; the full names of all those involved, with a clause for others to take up shares or a part of a share in the future; the means by which any future disputes would be dealt with ('a call to me,' she thought with a small sigh. 'Does that make me the official lawyer of the partnership,' she wondered. She would have to ask them that, so that could also be made formal.)

Then she hit a snag. It was all more or less in place when she called Cooper into the room and asked him for one vital bit of information - the name of the partnership. The silence that greeted her was a concern; she guessed that there wasn't one. In the end she told him that he would need to get one agreed on by all of the partners - in the meantime she would draw the papers up in the name of Spotlight Partners. It would be easy after all to overwrite that on the computer in a couple of days when they had settled on a name that they all liked.

If Grace had only known then what a lengthy process that would turn out to be, she would have run for the hills there and then. No amount of free food would ever be compensation for the stress it would cause.


	3. Partnership Woes

**Partnership Woes**

Grace had been able to supply Cooper with the first draft of the partnership papers in time for the next group meeting, which was held on a freezing cold day, when ice floes were to be seen in the East River, and the windows of the diner were almost completely fogged up. Trent, Rory and Flint were present for the first time in person. Quinn however was on Skype - there was no way that she had been prepared to make the long journey from Massachusetts just for a couple of hours, and given the weather conditions, no-one really blamed her. As it was, the journey up from Washington DC had been a total nightmare for Trent and Rory, and they had revised their plans as a consequence, electing to travel home on a much earlier train than they had originally planned. The cold weather had made the diner far quieter than usual on a Sunday afternoon, and so there was time for them all to sit and read the document that had been placed in front of them; in the case of Quinn, she was reading the E-mail she had been sent. None of them could find any fault in the papers - it was all clear, and fair to all involved. The only thing on which they had to decide was the group name, which would fit in the space that Grace had deliberately left blank.

"So, I would like to suggest LP Enterprises," said Santana. "I think that we need something short and clear - wouldn't you all agree?"

"Would that be LP as in Lopez Pierce?" responded Sam. "Because if it is.."

"..then it is totally out of the question!" Cooper snapped out. "You might have been the one offered the chance to buy the diner, Santana, but this is now a partnership with 12 shares, so we need something a little less individual to you."

"Hear, hear!" said Jeff, a determined look on his face.

"Well, if any of you have a better suggestion, then please, spit it out. I'm all ears…"

Thus began a rapid game, in which argument went back and forth, and voices raised with each suggestion. Around them, the few customers looked quite startled. Everyone it seemed had an idea of their own. Some, such as the suggestion of using all of their initials, were rejected out of hand, mainly because even if they could bring themselves to use so many initials, and have a name that resembled an internet password, none of them could agree on what order they should be used. Also quickly rejected was a combination of the names of the two schools, or the two show choirs of which they had once been part; Dalton McKinley and McKinley Dalton sounded like law firms; McDalton sounded like a burger chain; Warbler Directions and New Warblers were also firmly rejected, the latter so loudly that some customers actually got up and left. It was then suggested that seeing as they only had the means with which to buy the business thanks to the generosity of their two late friends, the name of the business should perhaps reflect that. They all had to agree that Trent had a point but Wesblaine got a lukewarm response, and Humgomery was rejected swiftly. When it was pointed out in all innocence that strictly Blaine had been an Anderson when he had left them the money, a rapid and heartfelt apology was necessary to stop Cooper becoming violent.

When finally they did decide on a name - Klaine Holdings - and everyone agreed that it was perfect, a swift check by Artie on the internet revealed that the name was already in use. "And so we are back at square one again," sighed Trent, anxiously glancing at the clock as he said it. Time was marching on swiftly after all. They were now starting to get desperate - Lord Tubbington Limited was kindly rejected in a way that guaranteed that Brittany's feelings were not hurt. It seemed as if any time they did reach a compromise, the name had already been registered.

They were all sat in complete silence, wracking their brains for something, anything that they could use when Grace walked in, confidently expecting them to be able to give her a name after she had left them alone for three and a half hours. She took one look at them all; the tired faces, the stressed looks on the faces of Trent and Rory; the way that her brother and Jeff were glaring at each other; and though she wasn't sure, it did appear that Quinn was banging her head on her desk…

"Spotlight Partners," she said. "That's what you are, and that was the name I used when I was making the papers up…"

All eyes turned to her, and she braced herself for all the thinly veiled anger in the room to be turned on her…

"Brilliant," said Trent, relief written across his features.

"Love it!" said Mike, his head lifted from the table for the first time in ten minutes.

"It does have a certain something," said Santana. Grace waited for her to dismiss it, wondering just how much blood would be spilled when she did. To her relief, the next words she heard were "Ok, a vote. All those in favour of the current suggestion, Spotlight Partners?"

Unsurprisingly, every hand in the room shot up, as did one on camera. Seeing what was happening in New York, they all head Quinn exclaim "Thank God for that!" over the speakers, and there was a spontaneous outbreak of laughter.

"I wish that you had just left that on the form," Cooper whispered to Grace. "Would have saved us a heck of a lot of time and trouble. The last few hours have been…"

Grace shook her head, then smiled. Turning to the room, she said "Ok. So I can prepare the formal papers and get them to all of you to sign next week. Once that is done, I can submit them to the correct authorities and have you officially registered. Now, is there anyone actually working that can get me a hot chocolate. Because I deserve one…"

As Jeff went to make a hot chocolate for his sister-in-law, Trent and Rory made their excuses and hurried off, to head in the direction of Penn station to catch the next train back to Washington. Flint had decided that he would hang back a little longer and catch a local train back to Princeton; he was hungry and he had a sudden urge for a bowl of the winter stew that the Spotlight was famous for, and maybe a slice of the homemade pie for dessert. Beats had a long shift at the club, and would still be out if he headed home now - and his dinner would end up being a plate of instant noodles. When Jeff came back with Grace's hot chocolate and a cookie, Flint placed his order, and Jeff hastened back to the counter to get him his bowl of stew - and ended up bringing back a tray full, as he was hungry too, and the smell of the casserole was just irresistible. He knew that if he ate a bowl, the Nick would want some too, and Mike would no doubt join them as it made more sense than him cooking for one later. He had also brought some for Sebastian and Dave, who both declined until the delicious smell assailed their noses, and then agreed it would be silly not to eat it now it was in front of them.

Santana could only smile as she watched them all eat - technically Jeff was supposed to be working, but she let it slide - his shift was almost over anyway, they weren't that busy, and he deserved some time back for all the extra minutes here and there that he worked. Not to mention the fact that Nick often helped out too, unpaid. Now all that remained for them to do was find a manager to run the place for them on a day to day basis. Gunther had put the word out for them, but so far the only responses they had received were from a woman that had quite severe personal hygiene issues, that she would never let anywhere near the kitchen; and a man who announced that his first act as manager would be to replace the stage with more tables, and stop the staff singing. It looked as if the net would have to be cast much further afield. She had mentioned the trouble they were having to Sam, and he had told Mike. As far as she knew, it still was a secret to the others. They needed to find someone fast though; given the problems that they had had choosing a name, interviewing for a manager with all the partners input would be akin to World War Three.

"Santana, have you got a minute?" said a voice, disturbing her thoughts as she stood at the counter. Nick was standing at her side now, a small pile of empty stew bowls in his hands. Without waiting for her to answer, he stepped round to her side of the counter and headed in the direction of the kitchen. With a sigh, she followed. She liked Nick after all - his head was usually screwed on, and he was always more than happy to help out. He had placed the dirty bowls in the dishwasher by the time that she joined him, and he turned to face her as the machine started to do its work.

"So, I hear that your search for a manager for this place isn't going too well? Before you ask, I overheard Sam talking to Mike about it. The thing is, I think that I know somebody who might be interested. Someone with a degree in business, experience in the restaurant trade, and a desire to leave their current job ASAP."

"Ok, sounds interesting… I take it that you know them from school, or have met them at the law library?"

"Actually, no. They are a close relative of an old friend. In fact, you have actually met her. I'm talking about Michelle Lau, Wes' cousin." That stopped Santana in her tracks, and she turned to stare at Nick, who was smiling quite sweetly at her. "I've kept in touch with her since the memorial, and Wes has filled in some of the gaps for me. Her side of the family have a number of businesses in the Boston area. She herself began working behind the scenes in the family's main restaurant when she was only 13. By the time that she turned 17, she was waiting tables; she had progressed to actually being in charge of her own section by the time she started at college. This continued all the time she was studying, and by the time she graduated, she was a duty manager. After school, she moved to the family's second restaurant as assistant manager, and that is the job she is still doing now. She was very happy there, until Wes' mother started to interfere. She still has a 50% share of the entire business, and she has used her unhappiness at Michelle's actions at the time of his death to find fault in everything that she does. She sounded unhappy at New Year, and well, I asked Wes about it, and he confirmed it. I think that if we asked her to come here and work for us, she would snatch our hands off…"

Santana stood in silence and regarded Nick for a moment. Could it be that the less blond half of Niff had just managed to take away the one thing that was stressing her out the most? She did like Michelle from the moment that she had met here on that sad day in Harvard, back in September. She had taken control of the situation then and had made people listen to her; then she had proceeded to smuggle the earthly remains of her much loved cousin to his spiritual home at Dalton, so that he could rest in peace. Their meeting had been short, but she had been so impressed by the way she had handled herself - she had sensed a kindred spirit. She had no idea however until that moment that she was in the hospitality business. She had just assumed that her side of the family would be in the same business as the Montgomery's - finance or law. It was a bit of a shock to discover that they were actually in the restaurant trade.

She was brought back to the present by Nick, who she now noticed was holding out a scrap of paper, with a telephone number written neatly upon it. "Ok, so this is her phone number. I can call her and ask her if you want me too, but I think that it would be better coming from you. She is a strong woman, and I think she would prefer to talk about it with someone that is a lot like her. Look, she would be good. I am more than certain of that. Also, it would be a strong link to Wes, here in the diner that when you think about it, he is partially paying for. Of course, you can always just go through a series of long interviews with all the other lovely people that will no doubt apply…"

"I'll call her, ok. Send her a text now for me and see if she is free to talk; if she is, then I will ring her right now. Honestly between us, I would rather have someone that I know at least a little in charge of our investment than some halfwit that turns up at an interview." She smiled as she saw Nick pull out his phone, and work his fingers rapidly over the screen, typing out a message. The response came almost immediately. "She's free, Santana. Call her!" Then with a wave, Nick walked out of the kitchen and back into the diner itself - as the door swung open, she heard the distinctive sound of Sebastian's voice, and she couldn't help but smile. It was difficult for her to imagine now that she had once viewed him as a mortal enemy. The meerkat had well and truly grown on them all. 'Him and all the Warblers,' she thought. Now it looked as if one of them just might have saved the day once again.


	4. New Adventures

**New Adventures**

When Michelle Lau's cellphone rang in the kitchen of the restaurant, whilst she was taking a short break from another twelve hour shift, she initially eyed the words _Unknown Number_ with suspicion. She had been receiving a lot of calls like that recently, and although she could not prove it, she was sure that the majority of them were coming from her aunt; possibly her uncle or her cousins. The text from Nick only a few moments earlier had been cryptic, just asking if she had time to talk, and she had to admit that when her phone first started to ring, she had been hoping to see his name displayed. She could just enjoy a chat with a friend right now. She decided nonetheless to take the risk and accepted the call, with a brief "Michelle Lau."

"Hey, it's Santana Lopez. I don't know if you remember me…"

"The only female Warbler. How could I forget?"

"Yeah, being that is a pretty big challenge. Look, Nick gave me your number. He also told me in confidence that you are having one or two issues at work…"

"Yes, one or two… It's nothing that I can't handle but my folks are starting to struggle with it, if I'm honest."

"It so happens that I might just be able to solve that problem for you. Did Nick tell you that we are all going into partnership together?"

"He mentioned something about it the last time that we spoke; but to be honest it was New Year's Day, and I was working, so I was kinda distracted."

"Well, to cut a long story short, we have been given the chance to buy the Spotlight Diner, the place that I work in with a few of the other guys - and given that Blaine and Wes between them left us with a good chunk of disposable income, we decided to band together and go for it. I've seen the books and it is very profitable… The thing is, well, we are all in school - and that is where Nick suggested that you could come in.."

Michelle sat in anticipation, waiting for Santana to speak. Eventually though, the silence got to her. "Go on. I'm listening."

"We need a manager. Someone to run the place for us day to day. I mean, I can still do what I do now; I mean, we all can. I've been doing the rota and the cash for a while now. I can do the close and open, and so can Sam; we've just started to train Jeff to be able to do that too. That side of things isn't an issue. It's the whole legislation package; co-ordinating everything so that it works. Nick thinks that you could do all of that standing on your head. From the little that I have seen of you, I am more than inclined to believe him. I am sure that your cousin would also confirm that if he could. The faith that he had in you proves it to me. Now, maybe an all singing diner is a bit of a comedown for you, but I promise you this here and now. We will respect you and listen to you, because we are just a bunch of amateurs."

"I wouldn't say that. I have seen all of you in action after all…"

"The Youtube videos?"

"Exactly. It looks like fun. I have to inform you though that Wes got all of the vocal abilities in the family. Me, I cannot sing a note."

"Neither can Gunther, the current owner, for that matter. Trust me, you just have to be able to tolerate the rest of us jumping on tables and singing our hearts out."

"I daresay that I could get used to it. Now, if I am going to take this job, I must insist on being properly interviewed, by as many of your partners as possible, so that none of them can turn round in the future and say they didn't choose me if it all goes wrong. I would also want a final veto on any suggestions that I feel are totally wrong."

"Think that we could manage that…"

"Good. So if I come to New York next Saturday…"

"We can show you how we roll on the Saturday, then do the interviewing on the Sunday, if that is ok. You can stay at my place; we have a spare room. If you are really unlucky, Rachel might even have a spare ticket to go and see her in _Funny Girl_."

"That should be ok, even the theatre. If it all goes to plan, I would be able to start as soon as you need me to, as long as I can find somewhere to live."

"I have a feeling that you should start searching now then, Michelle. Right, I should go - supposed to be working. I'll call you back before Saturday to arrange a time to meet and so on. I am really looking forward to working with you…"

Michelle agreed, and then rang off. She sat there in silence for a moment as around her, the restaurant went on. A new job. A new city. Wes, wherever he was, would be sure to approve.

For her part, Santana strode back into the diner with a massive smile on her face. As she did so, she caught Nick looking right at her. He gave her a cautious thumbs up and she nodded, earning herself a big grin for her trouble. She then noticed that Jeff had caught their interaction, and was giving both of them a curious look. She knew that she should tell them what was going on. So it was that she headed straight towards the table where Sebastian, Dave and Flint still sat, beckoning Nick to join her; Jeff came with his husband, and Santana herself waylaid Mike as headed in the direction of the kitchen with a tray of dirty plates. "Is Artie still here?" she asked as she sat herself down nearly on top of a startled Sebastian.

"No, he and Kitty left not long after Trent and Rory," said Flint, "and if you'll excuse me, I was just about to head out too."

"Gimme two minutes - I have important news, and for once, it is good. We all agreed that we had to discuss the subject of finding a manager - well maybe, thanks largely to the brilliant and gorgeous Nicholas, we actually don't have to anymore. You see, we already have the ideal candidate. I just spoke to her on the phone, and she will be coming here next weekend to meet us all. I assume that all of us can make time to come and see her?"

There were nods, and then the inevitable question was asked by Jeff. "Who is it?"

"Well, Jeffie," said Nick, "I think we will all approve, as we know them. Wes in particular most certainly would have…"

There was a sudden gasp, and all eyes turned to Mike. "Of course! It is her family's business after all…"

"Erm… still none the wiser," said Flint.

"It's Michelle Lau, Wes' cousin, isn't it?" Mike paused, and got a nod from Santana. With a broad smile on his face, Mike said "If we get her, then we are home and dry…" All eyes turned to Mike, and so he explained. "The first time I met Wes was, as you all know, at summer camp. . He saved me from bullies who were going to beat me up for preferring music and dancing to soccer. After that, he kind of took me under his wing, and treated me like his little brother. He made a lot of time for me, which was nice. Being an only child, I wasn't used to have someone near my own age watch out for me. He came to my music classes with me; watched me practicing my dancing and even attempted to join in; but at the same time, he also made me do some sport. He was the one that got me into football - not that he played himself, but he knew the rules and he followed it… Anyway, I'm getting way off track. One night we were together and we started to talk about family, and I told him how lonely it sometimes felt being an only child. His response was to tell me that having siblings wasn't always as great as it sounded. He told me about his older half-brothers, Randall and Albert, and how they hated him - I thought he was exaggerating until he told me exactly how they treated him. How his mother and father just let it happen. Then he told me about his cousin, Michelle. That she was a couple of years older than him. That she worked in the family restaurant and was a big hit with the customers. That she loved her job, and not even the long hours could put her off. That her ambition was that one day, she would open her own business. If she is even considering coming to work for us, then we are on to a very good thing indeed."

Nick nodded. "As far as I am aware, she actually has been more or less running the restaurant she currently works in single handed for the past year. It is a buffet/diner affair if I remember correctly…"

"It is, Nick, You always could be counted on to retain the little bits of information…" They all turned to see Wes standing there by the table, invisible to all the other patrons in the room. "She will take the job here, because she has been getting hassle from my so-called family. Randy and Bertie are taking it in turns to send her quite vile text messages, or make silent calls to the restaurant. There has also been a whispering campaign against that particular part of the family business by my mother. They will all pay for it eventually, but just now, it is making problems for my aunt and uncle, not just Michelle. It is so sad. She is close to her parents in a way that I never was, and she can't bear the fact that they are being hurt. This place will be a solution for her. She gets to keep on doing the job she loves, but without harming her family any longer."

"And if your family try anything like that here, well, I still have my ways; and Puck will of course destroy anyone that harms his investment," said Santana. "So, good to see you Wes! How are things up there?"

"Never seems to slow down or stop. Elizabeth is building me up to my first solo collection. I won't be doing nearly as many as the other three, but I still have to be trained and ready. I spent a day out with Finn last week; he made three collections, and each one of them tugged at my heartstrings. They don't affect him as much as they did anymore; he can't stop them dying, all he can do is make the process of death as painless as possible for them. To be honest, he is so good at it - much better than either Kurt or Blaine, although don't let either of them know that I said that. He just exudes empathy, and whether it is an old soul waiting to die; a small child that doesn't understand; or someone cut down in the prime of life, he just knows instinctively what to do and say. There is a part of me that can't help but think that he was born for the job. Anyway, back to subject. I urge you all to give my cousin the manager's job. She will not let you down."

"Ok, that's me sold," said Sebastian, and after a moment, they all burst out laughing.

"Trent will have been sorry to have missed you," said Flint, who then glanced at his watch, and jumped up. "I need to go, or I will miss my train. I will see you all next week guys!"

"I'll come with you, Flint," said Wes. "We need to have a little chat about you, and Beats…" With that, the two of them were off, leaving the others talking away about the prospect of having a manager in place quickly. As a result, none of them had noticed that Flint had paled as Wes had said he would walk with him…

* * *

If anyone had been watching him as Flint Wilson made his way back to Penn station that evening, they would have thought that he was making an exceptionally long call on his cellphone. He had put it to his ear almost the moment that he had stepped out of the diner, and it had stayed there until he was about to board the NJ Transit train heading in the direction of Trenton. It was for a reason, of course. Had he not done so, it would have looked to any passer-by that he was talking to himself all the way through the streets of Manhattan. It was a convenient fact of modern life that cellphones made excellent cover for conversing with an angel. Flint had adjusted his coat, hat and scarf as he had stepped out of the warm diner into the cold, and once he had done so, Wes began to talk.

"So, Flint, how are you? Still enjoying life at Princeton? I take it everything at college is going well? Of course, there isn't any need for you to answer any of that. I keep an eye on you all, even if I have decided to limit my actual visits. I really just want to ask you one thing. I know that your mom still hasn't forgiven you for the tattoo - although your dad actually secretly thinks that it is a great tribute to, as he put it, 'your best bud and mentor.' So, is what you are about to do a further rebellion against her? Because although I can picture Beats as a rebel - I mean, we all know that he only took up beatboxing because he wanted to become more 'street', but you… I still can't really get my head around the notion of you joining him as the second Preppy Boy, particularly given your initial reaction when you found out…"

Flint sighed, then turned to his friend. "I don't know what it is, if I am honest, Wes. Maybe I am rebelling. All my life, from my earliest memories in dear old Kansas, to my days at Dalton, I have been the dutiful son, the good Jewish boy. Abiding by the rules, staying sober at Warbler parties, going to temple when I could, praying when I couldn't. Not so much as a bacon sandwich… I guess that it all really started at Hunter's trial, when Tommy O'Hara revealed that Beats and I had been targeted to die by one of his henchmen. It made me realise that life was short, and that I wasn't going to be young forever, and so I started to loosen up. I can still remember the look on Beats' face the first night that I actually got fall down drunk… Bless him, when he realised what I was doing, he stopped drinking, which was just as well, because he more or less had to carry me home. Next day we had a long chat, which given that I had a hangover was a nightmare, and since then both of us have kept our drinking moderate. Then, when I was back home in Kansas for the summer, I went out to see some old friends on a Friday; stayed out all night in the end, and missed Friday night dinner and temple the next day. When I got home, my mom started on me, and for the first time in my life, I just walked away. Anyway, then you died, and… well, the shock of it all made me more certain that I had to find out who Flint Wilson really is, before it is too late. Beats understood when I told him - he's the brother that I never had. The fact that he was keeping things from me really hurt, and that is why I lashed out at Christmas."

"Then the Warblers intervened and mended it for you. That still doesn't explain…"

"…why I'm joining him? Beats can be his own worst enemy. You've seen the way that he flirts with the guys at the club here with your own eyes. When he takes off his shirt and dances, all the guys stop to watch - and they want him. No-one will try anything there though, because they know better, and because there is always at least one of us around. In the bar in Princeton, though, he is on his own. It sounds strange, but they act very differently there. I said I would join him as a joke at Christmas, but then on New Years, he admitted to me that a guy had cornered him and offered him money to go 'all the way' in a private show. He kept saying no, but the guy wasn't listening. Luckily, somebody came along, and Beats managed to get away, but if they hadn't…"

"If they hadn't, then Beats might not have been able to stop them?"

"Exactly, Wes. So, if I join him, work with him, then he will be safer. He can be so reckless at times, and all it would take would be one roofie in an unguarded drink, and…"

"You are a good friend to him. Not many guys would agree to do what you are going to do…"

"True. But he's my brother. To be honest, the whole idea made me sick at first, until I had to audition for Beats' boss. The funny thing is, when I was practicing alone at home, it felt wrong. When I was doing it on stage, even for just that audience of one, it felt electric… So, please, don't tell anyone else, not yet; but being the second Preppy Boy, it isn't that bad. It's actually fun - then again, maybe I will feel differently after my first show on Friday…"


	5. The Manager

**The Manager**

The following week was an exceptionally busy one for all of the new partners in the Spotlight Diner. True to her word, Grace had spent the rest of her Sunday formally typing up the contract, using all of the correct wording and the official legal phrasing and wording. Thus when she sent them all out a copy via E-mail on Monday morning, only Nick was able to understand most of it - and as a result, he had to field a large number of calls from his friends as to whether the document they now had in front of them was the same thing as they had read the day before. He reassured them that it was, and after that, all of them agreed to it. To be truly legal of course, each of the potential partners had to sign a copy - and thus one copy was mailed that day, as a recorded letter, to Puck on his base in Virginia. All of the others made arrangements to be in New York on the following weekend, so that they could sign their own copies. It would be the biggest meeting yet, as all of the partners would attend; Rachel had arranged that her understudy would take over the Sunday performance, and Flint was bringing Beats. The latter did not have the cash available at that point to buy a share himself, but Flint had agreed an interest free loan to his best friend so that he would not miss out, and could sign with the rest of them.

By the time that Saturday morning dawned, their was a palpable level of excitement building amongst them all. For some, the euphoria level was high for other reasons too - Flint had pulled off his first performance as a Preppy Boy with no problems at all. Beats had loved having the company on the stage, and both of them had loved the increased level of tips. They would not be in New York until the Sunday, as they had another performance scheduled for Saturday night. After a week of fearing the worst, Flint now found himself actually looking forward to it.

It was just after midday that Michelle Lau alighted from the her train at Penn station, and made her way with the crowds up to the concourse. She had not travelled alone. Once Nick had confirmation of her train times, he had passed them on to Quinn and Tina, and they had travelled up on the same train. As a result, some of Michelle's initial trepidation about her new role was taken away after a long chat with two of the people who would be her future bosses. They made their way directly from the station to the diner - all three of them were more than ready for some lunch, and Mike was working, making it very practical for Tina.

They stopped outside, allowing Michelle to take her first good look at the establishment were she would soon be working. The diner was busy - there were some free tables, but not many. On that cold January day, there was a slight mist on the windows, and the sound of music could be heard outside. Tina smiled as she realised that the voice they could hear singing was Mike's. It was hard for any of them to imagine now that he had once thought that he was unable to sing…

"Is it always like this?" Michelle asked.

"Any time that I have been here, yes," said Quinn. "It makes for a good atmosphere. It is old fashioned enough to engender nostalgia amongst the older customers, but trendy enough to attract the Hipster crowd. People know what they will get when they come here; good food, good prices, and an all singing, all dancing staff. You want an overpriced coffee with free intermittent wi-fi, you go to Starbucks. The Spotlight isn't like that, and people would prefer that it stayed that way. So, ready to go in?" Michelle nodded, and Tina made her move to open the door.

At once, a delicious aroma filled the air. It was a mix of coffee, fresh bread, frying bacon and a good stew. Mike had now left the stage; he spotted Tina and gave her a smile and a wave before stopping off to clear a table. Behind the counter, Sam was preparing coffees; he noticed them too, and having placed the cups on a tray next to plates with slices of pie on them, he popped his head round the kitchen door for a second, then with a "Santana will be out in a minute" he passed them to deliver the order to the waiting customers.

"It all seems to run like clockwork," remarked Michelle to no-one in particular. She was still thinking that when Santana walked up moments later.

"So, welcome to the Spotlight," said Santana. "It's perfect timing too - if you had got here about an hour ago, I wouldn't even have had the chance to say hello, because we were run off our feet. Ok, first impressions?"

Michelle looked around, then turned back to Santana, whose face was expectant. "I see what you mean about this place - it looks like a little goldmine. The atmosphere is spot on, and several things smell quite heavenly…"

Santana laughed, and replied "Most people say that they taste that way too. Go and find a table, and I'll get the three of you some food. Now, before I do, I'd best check - you're not vegan or anything Michelle? Because to be honest, Berry can be bad enough…"

"No, I'm not, but…"

"Now, don't worry. We have a wide range of dishes that are suitable for vegetarians and vegans; we do kosher; and we even ensure that we always have a fish dish for any pescatarians too. We have a gluten free and dairy free option as well."

Michelle looked surprised, but then smiled broadly. "You really do seem to have everything covered - but what I would like right now is a plate of that stew that I can smell cooking."

"If that's the same one that I had last time I was here," interrupted Quinn, "then I would like some too. I can text Puck and make him jealous later." Santana smiled then went off to fetch the stew. Sam appeared and took their drinks order, returning with them just as Santana reappeared from the kitchen with three generous bowls of beef stew with dumplings, and a plate of chunky sliced bread. She left the three of them to eat - by the end of the bowl, Michelle had made up her mind. This was her future; she wanted the job.

She told Santana as much as they sat in the office together later. Michelle had taken a look at the books and realised that Gunther had been running a very tight ship; Santana had then done the same. There were little things that she felt could be done to make it even better. Mid morning was quiet during the week and although that let the staff prepare for the lunch time rush, a deal on coffee and cake could fill some of those empty seats. There were a couple of dishes on the menu that could easily be culled due to poor sales, and she had an idea of the kind of things that they could add. They had to play up to their strengths even more than they did now, and possibly do more when special events took place in the city. Santana sat and listened intently as she spoke, nodding in agreement with much of what she was saying. She knew here stuff, that was for sure. About halfway through the conversation, Santana had looked up and saw Gunther standing in the doorway. She said nothing, as she could see that he too was smiling in agreement. When she had finished, he was the one that spoke, after introducing himself. "She has good ideas; if I had been younger, then I'd have done a lot of it myself. This young lady will make you an excellent manager." Santana left the two of them to discuss things further whilst she excused herself to deal with the changeover of shifts. Mike and Sam had both now finished for the day; Jeff (and thus Nick later when he had finished at the Law Library) were on. He would be on shift alongside Dani, who had returned to work at the Spotlight as a favour after the death of Wes, but had never left again.

There was a problem though. They were a member of staff short; the employee in question had created these issues many times in the past, and had already been given a final warning. Santana made a call, to discover from a giggling roommate that they were passed out on the couch, stoned and drunk. "Make that stoned, drunk and unemployed," said Santana. "Tell him that he's fired." The giggling stopped abruptly, but before anything could be said, she slammed down the phone.

"Staff problems?" said Michelle, who had left the office with Gunther; the two of them were now standing right behind her.

"Yeah, which means that I am going to have to pull a double. Sam has an assignment to work on, and although Mike would offer if I asked, he and Tina have plans this afternoon, so it wouldn't be fair on them."

Michelle smiled as Santana sighed. "It means one thing - I can show you what I can do properly. Call it a trial shift. That's if it is alright with both of you…"

Gunther nodded, and with his approval, Santana felt compelled to agree. After all, she had Jeff and Dani to keep her right, and she could always pop back in later, after she and Brittany had kept their date at the movies…

The next few hours flew by - Santana had taken Michelle's bag back to the loft, whilst the young lady in question had hung her coat on a hook, donned an apron and started work. She spoke first to Jeff, who greeted her with a warm hug. After a quick catch up, he introduced her to all the other staff on duty. He left Dani to last, mainly because she was up on the stage for most of the time. When she finally came down, Jeff made the introductions, and then excused himself to jump up onto the stage and sing. As he launched into a spirited rendition of _Take Me To Church_ , Dani walked back to the counter with Michelle.

"So, I hear that you might be our new boss - well, manager. I have to tell that you that since the start of this week, they have all been highly excited about the prospect of you joining us. They're good guys, you know. They asked me if I wanted a share, but hey, I wasn't in a will…" She smiled, and then continued. "I am pleased for them, though. They will be good for this place. It needs to stay the same - if it wasn't for them stepping up, this place would probably have ended up in the hands of some faceless chain."

"So, if you were the one in charge, you wouldn't change a single thing?"

"No, nothing - except maybe see if I could get a job for an old friend of us all here too.."

"Well, there is actually a vacancy - Santana sacked someone about half an hour ago. That's the main reason that I am here."

Dani couldn't help but smile at that. "I did kind of wonder were that lazy slob was… Maybe I should give our friend a call when I'm on my break. Anyway, duty calls." With that, she shot off to serve a waiting table, leaving Michelle to wonder just who the friend was.

When Santana walked back in just before ten, Brittany at her side, she paused on the threshold and observed. The place was busy, but no-one was being left unattended. There was an aroma in the air that she did not recognise, at least until Brittany turned towards her and said "Donuts!" That was a surprise, as they did not feature on the menu. Jeff spotted them, looked worried, and then darted away past the specials board. The board boasted the words " _Tonight's Special - Churros_ "

"I thought you would be back," came a voice, and Santana turned round to see Michelle standing there. "I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of adding a little something to the menu. I know that I should have asked, but I was in the kitchen, and I noticed that there was a short date code on the cocoa powder, and we had a lot of cream in the same position. So my first thought was Chocolate Sauce - and what better to dip in it than fresh donut sticks?"

Jeff was suddenly back at her side, carrying a tray with a bowl of chocolate sauce and a plate of churros. "That's the last of the sauce. Guess I should wipe the Specials Board?"

Michelle nodded, and then turned back to find that the two girls were now eating the churros. "I guess that I did the right thing?" she asked, and was answered by two nods. "By the way, I charged $3, and made just under $2 profit on each serving…"

Jeff had returned, and had picked up a churro himself, dipped it in the chocolate sauce, and was just taking his first bite. His face was suffused with pleasure almost at once. He sighed, and said "I have waited all night to try these, and it was worth the wait. I think that these should go on the menu."

"I agree with you, blondie," said Santana. "Good taste, low price and yet a big profit. Another reason why I think that tomorrow is a mere formality. I think that I can safely say that you are the new manager of the Spotlight, Michelle. That is if you want the job."

"I do, I really do. It just feels… here, with some of his boys around, it feels like I am closer to Wes…" At that, Jeff gave Santana a glance that spoke volumes. "By the way, I might also have found a replacement member of staff for you; a friend of Dani's. she says that you all know him - his last job didn't work out, and so he needs a new one ASAP."

"Is she talking about Elliot by any chance," said Santana, who had to admit that she had been considering giving him a call herself.

"Yes, that's the guy."

"Well, it looks as if we are going to have two new members of staff on board in the very near future then…"

After a good night's sleep at the big loft, Michelle was invited to breakfast next door, where she was treated to pancakes prepared by Nick and Jeff. She then began to organise herself for her 'interview'. In practice, it was not possible for all of them to assemble at the diner - there would be no room for paying customers if they did, and so they had relocated the interview to the loft. Nick, having been the one to suggest her in the first place, agreed that he should chair the assembly, given that Santana would be working. He spent the first part of the day baking - he had completed all of his college work the night before rather than joining Jeff at the diner. As cookies, cakes and tarts issued forth from the oven, Jeff started to prepare a pot of soup, and Michelle volunteered to assist. It let her observe the young married couple in their own home, and she had to admit that she was envious of the relationship that she saw in front of her. Wes had always said that Niff worked because they complimented each other; that as a team they could achieve anything. She could believe that as she saw the way that they worked with each other in the small kitchen, almost choreographed in the way they worked around each other. Soon the loft began to fill with the smell of sweet cakes and savoury soup; an aroma that was soon joined by that of baking bread - it had been made up last night and left to prove overnight. The two loaves were taken out of the oven just as the first knock came at the door.

Within half an hour, the loft was full of people, eating hot soup with hunks of fresh bread. Michelle was given proper introductions to everyone, including Rachel, who she was meeting for the first time - all the others had seen her at least at Wes' memorial at Dalton. Cooper and Grace arrived last, the latter clutching her briefcase, full of all the important paperwork. First thing was to discuss the hiring of Michelle. As Santana was at the diner, her decision was passed to the others by Sam. He told them about the events of the previous evening, with Jeff for back up, having actually been there and witnessed everything first hand. He waxed lyrical about the sudden new dish; how it had been jumped on by the customers; and how she had avoided the diner a loss by using up short dated stock. Michelle was then given a chance to speak about what she felt about the diner; how she saw things in the future; her ideas to maximise their return. Then she took questions. She agreed that wheelchair access was an issue, and stated that an automated door would be one of the first things that she would suggest, getting a warm smile from Artie and Kitty. She proposed a wider range of dishes for vegetarians and an expansion of the kosher dishes, which got a thumbs up from Flint and Rachel; and an improvement in the audio equipment, which got a thumbs up from all of them.

It then came to time for a vote; Nick volunteered to take Michelle out for a walk around the neighbourhood. Jeff knew his thoughts and agreed with him, so he would cast their joint vote. A quick summary was drawn up of all the positive points in employing her - experience, knowledge, ideas, and the fact that 'we know her'. Then they tried to find a negative. It was a struggle which was beyond them all. The result had been inevitable from the moment that they had all heard the glowing reports. Jeff sent Nick a text, asking him to return, whilst all around him signatures were being placed on the remaining partnership agreements. When Michelle and Nick returned, it fell to Mike to stand up and say, "On behalf of the Spotlight Partners, I would like to formally offer you the job of manager."

"Yes please," said Michelle. The deal was done, Grace was left to draw up the contract of employment, and they all celebrated with coffee and one of Nick's freshly made cakes.


	6. New Home, New Job

**New Home, New Job**

The real work began the following day, at least for Grace and Michelle. The former had to move on to the next stage of the paperwork required to establish the business formally, as well as putting in a normal days work. She worked through it quickly, and by close of business, she had submitted all the necessary papers to the authorities, thus making it possible for the legal side to be signed off. The process would take at least two weeks, and so it would be February before they could actually complete the sale of the business with Gunther, not that this was a big issue for either of the parties concerned.

Michelle had returned to Boston, and had sat down with her parents, to inform them that she was leaving, and give them a date as to when it would be. The news did not come as a surprise to them. They had been expecting it, and although it made them sad, they fully understood why she had to go. They had after all mourned the death of their youngest nephew as much as she had, and had been equally upset about the way that things were handled. There was a respect for family traditions and for family values - and then there was an acceptance that times had changed, and that for your child, their friends were far more important than a cold, distant immediate family. They had to strike a balance though, and remember that their livelihood was dependant on the stake that Wes' family had in the business. So they had applauded all of their daughter's actions in private; in public, they had to chastise her. The fact that she was now being harassed for her actions was risking driving an even bigger wedge between the two parts of the family. That did not stop them feeling that Michelle had been hounded out of Boston; and in time, they had resolved that they would make the other half of the family rue the day that they had taken the actions they had.

Michelle also had to find a new home in New York. She had a reasonable budget, but even that would not be enough to find something really nice in the neighbourhood around the Spotlight. She had to admit that it was very tempting to live somewhere close to the majority of the others in Bushwick, but the idea of sitting on the subway for hours every day did not appeal to her. So she spent her time browsing the net; had the others looking about, asking around to see if they could find something, even if it was only someone in search of a roommate. In the end though, it would be a chance encounter that would lead to a solution of the issue, at least in the short term.

It was near the end of that first week when the door to the diner opened to reveal a face that was familiar to Sam, though at first he could not recall their name. Then he heard a slight whoosh, and felt a familiar draught on his face. He turned round to see Kurt and Blaine standing at his side. Kurt almost at once stepped away, and headed over to say hello to Isabelle Wright, his former boss and mentor. He had seen her only once since Wes had died; when he had gone to her office, knowing that she was the only one working so late, and had made her a coffee, as he had done so many times before. He had taken it to her, and she had actually started drinking it before she realised the impossibility of such a thing having just occurred, given Kurt's status. She had cried and hugged him for hours, and then the two of them had worked together, talking through everything until the early hours of the morning.

Work had kept them both exceptionally busy since then, so when he had spotted her walking into the diner, he had left his apartment in the heavenly New York, where he and Blaine had been relaxing together for a catch up. Her face lit up the moment that she saw him. She had been having a bit of a week, and was feeling in need of something to cheer her up. Sam swiftly made her a large hot chocolate and cut her a generous portion of Angel Cake that had been made that morning - no charge. He had winked at her as he had said that, and when she demurred, he explained that he nearly owned the place now… Kurt took the time to give her the full story as she ate her cake. She was pleased for them all, and glad that the Spotlight was not going to change like so many other establishments. Then she proceeded to tell Kurt all of her troubles, as she had done before. It turned out that her biggest headache was finding a new tenant for the tiny apartment she had bought when she had first moved to New York from Ohio. By some luck, it turned out that it was only three blocks away…

Kurt could only smile at his former boss. "Isabelle, what would you say if I told you that I had the solution to your problem? I know someone that is looking for a place here in the city; she is arriving here next month when she starts her new job." He laughed as Isabelle regarded him with curiosity. "You remember Wes? It's his cousin. She is going to be managing this place for the guys. Obviously, you would need to check her out for yourself, but from what I have seen, she is a lot like Wes in her manner, actions and behaviour. I am also sure that as you will be doing the Spotlight partners a favour by considering this, you will be able to have all the coffee and cake you wish free of charge…" Isabelle laughed out loud at that, and the fact that once more, as he had always done for her when he was her intern assistant, Kurt had found the ideal solution to her problem. They sat after that and chatted for a little while - in time, Blaine joined them, and when he heard what they had been talking about, he beckoned Sam over. Isabelle duly passed her phone number to Sam with instructions to pass it on to Michelle. He hurried away, and only a few minutes later, Isabelle was shocked to receive a call from an unknown number in Boston. The conversation was short, but by the end of it, the deal had been done. Michelle had a new landlord; Isabelle had a new tenant and the promise of freebies, whenever she wished, once she was in charge. And of course, if Isabelle felt like mentioning the Spotlight on the Vogue website...

So it was that as January drew to a close, everything was more or less sorted. The money was in place, all moved into the one account to ensure that the transaction was faster. Setting up that account had not been as easy as they had expected; in the end, Santana, Sebastian and Nick had to attend a meeting with a bank manager to set it up. From the moment that they walked in, her attitude had been awful - they could all see her looking at them as if she was thinking 'too young and far too inexperienced for this.' As the meeting went on, it became clear that Santana was nearing the point where she would go all Lima Heights on her; Sebastian was on the verge of reverting to snarky bitch; and Nick was wishing that he was there with someone else - like calm rational Artie. This went on until she requested to see the recent bank statements of the partners; the moment that she saw the six figure sums in all of the accounts, not to mention the seven figure one in Nick and Jeff's joint account, little dollar signs seemed to appear in her eyes. She was suddenly all smiles, and they could all feel the warmth radiating from her. It was for that reason that they decided to walk out and head for another bank, where they received a warm welcome right from the start, and not just when the level of their wealth came to light.

It was also around that time that three people worked their first shift at the Spotlight. Elliot had been offered a job, and had accepted it at once; Trent and Rory for their part had decided that they needed to start sometime, and the sooner, the better. Elliot had worked in a restaurant before; for him the job was no great stretch, the only big difference being that here, he could jump up on the stage and sing his heart out whenever he liked. The first time he did so he reduced the entire diner to silence, and then when he stopped, deafening applause. He made the task of singing whilst waiting on tables seem like a piece of cake even to those of the staff that had been there for years.

For the other two, it was nowhere near as simple. Rory had worked in a small café back in his home town one summer, doing so to raise money to help pay for his flight to the United States on his exchange trip. It had been nowhere near as hectic, and even then, he had been relegated to the kitchen very quickly, mainly because it was still so close to the incident where he had accidentally set fire to the priest at Sunday mass that everyone still stopped and pointed at him. On the day he first worked at the Spotlight, he shadowed Mike: Trent was shadowing Jeff. It was nowhere near as easy as it looked, and to say that both of them made a few mistakes on that first day would have been an understatement of epic proportions. No-one really minded though, not after they both turned on the charm with the customers. Also they all had to agree that when the two of them got up on the stage and sang together, their voices blended in a most beautiful way. At the end of the shift they were both tired, but happy - and not nearly as bad at the job as they had been at the start.

By the time that the first week in February rolled round, Trent and Rory were not the only partners that had taken their turn at working in the diner. Beats and Flint had arrived one afternoon, stepped behind the counter and asked where they could start. It turned out that Beats was a natural waiter, as they had all guessed in any case from his previous job as a busboy. Flint struggled more with that side of the job, but he found handling the coffee machine much simpler than any of the others ever had, overcoming its temperamental eccentricities in minutes, to provide the most perfect cappuccino that one customer claimed that she had ever had. As they would always be working at the same time, they decided to divide the work between them, with Flint remaining at his position behind the counter except for those moments when he jumped up to the stage to sing with Beats accompanying him on the piano. Santana walked in on them that first day just as they started on their second song of the day, to find Dani smiling broadly. "So, these guys make quite the team - and better yet, Flint figured out the coffee machine in less than a minute. I have to say, they sing well and they have the moves too."

'More than you know,' thought Santana. She had 'stumbled' on the fact that the 'Preppy Boys' were the newest and hottest strippers on the New Jersey gay scene on Twitter - and when she had seen a candid snap, she had not expected to see the two ex-Warblers in it for a moment… In the old days, she might have felt obligated to cause them both the maximum embarrassment by letting them know that she was aware of their new job. Now she did not. She clapped as loudly as everyone else when they finished their song, greeted them warmly, and then recalling what Dani had told her, asked Flint to prepare her a particularly complex coffee; one that she herself usually needed a few minutes to make. He had it to her in half the time, and it tasted divine. So it was that Flint was assigned counter duties on a full time basis, whenever he was on shift.

The following day saw Kitty and Marley arrive - they both acquitted themselves well, and promised that Ryder would arrive the next day. He did so in the company of Artie. They were already prepared for this moment. He had requested a tray that could fit comfortably on his lap in his chair - they had taken the necessary measurements and had one built, which now fitted perfectly. This meant that he could carry far more than any of the others in one time; his ability to bring a whole table's order at one time was a cause of satisfaction for all. It was still such an uncommon thing to see in a restaurant that much was made of it on social media. Artie did not mind about that one bit; it was good publicity for the business that he had invested in, and raised his own profile at the same time. When it came to his turn to sing, he made his way onto the stage via a ramp that had been built for just such an occasion. He proceeded to wow the diner just as much as the others had on their first performances.

Finally, on the first Saturday of the month, it was the turn of Sebastian and Dave. When they arrived, Sebastian had already worked an early shift at his job at the Strand bookstore, and Dave had played a game that morning too. This meant that they were both a little tired, and in the latter's case, a little bit sore too. Nonetheless, they both donned an apron and started to help serve the Saturday crowds. Sebastian proceeded to charm and delight a group of French tourists by talking to them entirely in his fluent French, and then took to the stage to sing in the same language. He was not unhappy about the huge tip that they left either. Dave was recognised by a group of students from his college, and initially feared being ridiculed. When he pointed out to them that he was only there because he was about to become a part-owner, they had scoffed, until Sam had come over to confirm that what he said was true. That changed their attitude entirely, and they told him he was pretty cool - although he still refused to give them a discount. As their shift went on, both of them felt less tired, and in the end they sang together on stage, delighting the customers, and surprising many with the fact that Dave had a pretty good singing voice. By that time, all of the partners were aware that they would officially take over next Saturday. All that was left now was to finalise their plans for Valentine's Day.


	7. Rules for Engagement

**Rules for Engagement**

The reality of their situation finally hit home for the Spotlight partners on the first weekend in February. It was the first time that all the partners had actually been assembled physically in one place since the decision had been made to buy. Puck had a 48 hour leave that he had been due to take before Christmas; this had been cancelled at the last minute, and so he was given permission to take it now, along with the 72 hour leave he had booked for the following weekend. He therefore was sitting alongside Quinn that Sunday morning, the pair of them dressed smartly - they had tickets to a show that afternoon, the theatres being far too busy the following weekend. Artie sat with Kitty on his lap, to free up a chair, or so they claimed. Beats and Flint had arrived early, and had come to sit in the diner long before the others arrived. When Santana had arrived, she was informed by one of the staff that they had both had sparkly faces when they arrived - she had to stifle the urge to laugh, and was just glad that they had realised and washed the last of the glitter off in the restroom. The waitress in question had kept asking questions in the vein of _Twilight_ ; Santana knew the film in question was actually more _Magic Mike_. She was still silent about her knowledge of Flint's new job - he would admit it when he was ready.

The meeting had begun early that Sunday because both Rachel and Cooper were on stage later that day. Everyone arrived on time, although some of them looked as if they were barely awake; to everyone's surprise, it was the usually fastidiously punctual Trent and Rory that sprinted through the door with seconds to spare - their train had been delayed by a signalling fault at Secaucus Junction. Once they had ordered coffee, the meeting began; all the partners and most crucially Michelle present and correct.

"Ok," Santana began. "We officially take over at noon on Saturday. The lawyers did say that everything would be ready to go on Friday…"

"But you didn't want to risk tridecaphobia," interrupted Artie with a smile. "Fear of the number thirteen and Friday the 13th in particular," he then said to enlighten those of his friends that looked confused.

"It doesn't actually bother me," said Santana, "but Gunther's wife felt that it was a bad omen, and so he asked if we would be willing to defer, and I didn't see an issue. Anyway, it will be a big day; admittedly not as big a day as it would be if we were an Italian restaurant like Breadstix…"

"Or the Olive Garden," said Tina.

"I'm just glad that we are far superior to Breadstix," said Sebastian with a smirk. "I mean, I know it was the restaurant of choice in Lima, but it was hardly haute cuisine."

"Neither is the Spotlight," said Sam with a grin, "but we are by far the best at what we do."

"Exactly." Santana sighed, worried about how off track they were getting. "We give people what they really want - good wholesome food at a reasonable price, with a healthy side order of music. To get back to the point, this year we need to do something different to mark the changeover though. So, the suggestion is that we have a couple of really good specials on the menu, an expanded range of desserts, and quite possibly a theme…"

"Please, please, tell me it's NOT going to be hearts and flowers," interjected Sebastian, "because that is what every place from here to Seattle will be doing. I personally vote that we go to the other extreme and do an anti-Valentine's theme. If people are together, then that's fine, but if they are single then we need to give them the experience that I know that I used to want before I was a happily engaged man." He stopped, and took Dave's hand, smiling.

At this point, Michelle spoke. "Actually, that isn't such a bad idea. I used to notice that on the 14th, we always used to have so many couples, but the other tables were empty as the single folk stayed away. We could set up the bigger tables as places were singletons could come and eat, and escape from all the…"

"Pink slushiness?" stated Kitty. "I mean, don't get me wrong, if people forget about me on Valentine's, then I will kill them…"

"Wouldn't dare," said Artie quietly.

"…but all those icky hearts all over the place, and the roses, and the soft toys - yuck!"

"So what you are suggesting is that we ignore the significance of the date altogether?" responded Santana. "I don't think that is a good idea…"

"No, that isn't what I am suggesting at all," replied Michelle. "What we do is take all the 'pink slushiness' to those that want it. Carry the candles and the flowers to their table. But for all the rest, we just do the usual stuff. Good old fashioned food with just a hint of silly love songs in the background…"

There was a general agreement on that notion. Most, if not all of them, had been in the position of being single on Valentine's, and they could all relate to the idea that some people hated the notion of 'love' being in the air everywhere. Santana wasn't 100% behind the idea, but even Brittany did not seem to support the idea of a full on romance fest. From a purely business point of view, she certainly could see the merits of Michelle's scheme. Her heart was not behind it though, not that she always went with that in life. So she raised her hand in assent when it was proposed that they follow her plan - after all, they all wanted their first night in charge to be a roaring success.

The meeting moved on - the notion of a special midweek morning deal on coffee and cake was given a thumbs up, and after samples were brought out from the kitchen, it was agreed by them all that churros with chocolate sauce would be the first new dish that they would place on the menu. Then, with everyone committing to a time to meet up on the big day, the meeting broke up. Santana returned to her tasks in the office; Brittany and Jeff returned to work. Some of the others lingered for a spot of lunch before they left for home - others like Nick and Sebastian left for their own places of work, both of them hurrying for the subway, time being short. Michelle for her part left to meet Isabelle, to pick up keys and see the apartment properly for the first time. She had agreed to take it, and would be moving in midweek. She did promise to pop back as soon as she could to discuss menu options with Santana.

The latter was by now shut away in the office, the door closed and locked behind her. She had opened the safe, and taken out the little box that she had hidden away in the back the previous week. She was so engrossed in staring at its contents, that she didn't feel the draught from the two sets of wings as they arrived. As a result, when Finn said "Hey Santana!" she nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun round to snap at him, but saw that he had Wes standing at his side, with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"So, dearest Satan, you are finally going to do it! I must admit that I am shocked that you of all people would chose the most clichéd date on the calendar to do it on…" he said.

Finn looked slightly puzzled, but Santana just laughed. "What can I say? She is a hopeless romantic. She will feel that it is the best day of her life ever, even topping bringing the guys back to everyone's sight as angels. Plus, there is also the small fact that everyone that really matters will be here. Burt and Carole are coming to support us; so are the Schuesters. I have even invited her parents to join us. I wanted it to be special; problem is, the others did not want the…"

"Pink slushiness?" interrupted Wes.

"You really do listen to everything! Well, you do, but Finn…"

"I'm not that clueless. I can guess that you are going to ask Brittany to marry you on the 14th, and as a result, you wanted lots of hearts and flowers," Finn responded. "But now, you aren't going to get that, and you couldn't say why you wanted them, because she was there in the room…"

"Exactly…"

Finn smiled at her, and then in a low voice said, "You do realise that just the fact that you are asking her will be more than enough for her? I've known her for nearly as long as you, Santana, and all she wants is to be with you. She has been thinking about proposing to you for a long time, but she is afraid to in case you say no. She actually has a ring bought too - she keeps it inside Lord Tubbington's bed…"

"And you accused Finn of being clueless Santana - it turns out that he is aware of more than you!" said Wes, with a smile.

"We talked a lot when she was the only one that could see me, before Kurt and Blaine came to join me…" said Finn, with a hint of sadness. "I caught her with the ring, and she told me then that she was about to ask you any day - but I guess that with all the death and despair that came around shortly after that, she felt that she should put it off…"

Santana looked at Finn with a new found respect. She had no idea that he and Brittany had become so close. Now however, she could use this to her advantage… "I need you to do something for me Finn. I need you to convince her to ask me on Saturday. Tell her to ask me after nine; then I can get in first, but she will still have her ring with her. It will be just like it was with Trent and Rory."

Wes nodded in agreement to her plan, a broad smile on his face. "If that doesn't outdo all the teddy bears, roses and heart shapes in the world, nothing will. For it be mutual is absolutely perfect."

Finn knew that often in life, there is no time like the present, and so he made his excuses, with a promise to return soon, and headed off to seek out Brittany. He found her cleaning up tables, a post-brunch lull having come to the Spotlight. It was Jeff though that spotted him first as he walked over to help her out.

"Hey Finn! Long time, no see! Then again, I guess that all of this cold weather keeps you pretty busy…"

"You'd be correct about that, Jeff. It is one of the most hectic times of the year for those of us in the collections department. Years ago it used to be mainly the older people that died, but now, with all of the traffic, and people just not paying any attention to the world around them… The job doesn't get any easier either; you just get more numb to it. Anyway, how is married life? You two still insanely happy?"

Jeff laughed and smiled. "Getting more happy each and every day. I'm just glad that we live with Mike now, not Sebastian. We are spared the retching noises when we do something really lovely for each other. Then again recently - well, it seems like Mike might have something big on his mind…if I was still drawing Nick as much as I was during the summer, he probably wouldn't even notice, to be honest…"

"That bad? Maybe I need to pop down and have a chat with him sometime, see if I can help him out. Or send one of the others to do it… Not today, though. It's actually Brittany that I am here to see today." With that, he turned his attention to the young lady in question.

As usual, she was overjoyed to see him, leaving the table she was working on half cleared to run over, and after quickly checking that nobody was watching, she wrapped her arms around him. "You've come to see me? I thought that now everyone could see you we didn't need to have our little chats quite as much." Finn smiled at her, thinking again of just how many times in those months between his death and Kurt's he had paid a visit to the girl in front of him. The fact that any of the people that he had known and loved could see him was unexpected, but a valuable bonus. He had often called on her in her tiny room at M.I.T.; he had listened to her, and she had listened as he poured out his own heart. It had been so good to be able to vocalise all that he had felt to someone that had really known him. Elizabeth Hummel was great, but she had never known the mortal Finn. So there had been good times and bad; days when he had cried so hard that she had burst into tears too; days when the sound of their combined laughter had filled the air. Of course, he had let Brittany talk too, about how much she hated life at M.I.T. and the fact that she had missed so much, above all Blaine's proposal to Kurt.

Of course, that had brought them on to weddings; to her then broken relationship with Santana, and how she was so hopeful that one day she could win her back. Convinced of that fact, she had gone out and bought a ring; he had caught her with the tiny box, and when she showed him its contents, he had gasped in delight. He had of course feared the worst - sometimes Brittany's taste could actually leave a lot to be desired - but in this case she had bought a ring so simple and beautiful in design that he knew that Santana would love it. The problem at that point had been the distance between them and, of course, Dani. it did not seem then that all her dreams would come true easily. Then the New Directions had been disbanded on Sue's orders, and in the course of two days in Lima, it was all back on again.

Finn suddenly realised that his mind had seriously wandered, and that both Brittany and Jeff were staring at him in expectation. "Sorry guys, I got distracted there… So, I wanted to give you a little piece of advice Brittany. We have been talking about you and Santana in heaven, and we are all convinced that this Saturday is the day; the day that you should ask Santana to marry you. She has been waiting for a big Valentine's Day gesture like this all her life. You will all be here celebrating buying the diner, so this one is the perfect one. I also know that she will definitely say yes…"

Finn watched with satisfaction as Brittany's face lit up - and mild amusement as he also saw Jeff's face light up in excitement. "Do you really think that she will say yes? I know that she is so busy with the diner and NYADA; but, yes, she was so keen to have everything hearts and flowers on Saturday. She always did like making a fuss of me on the 14th…and it would be perfect because all of our friends will be here. I will ask her, Finn. I don't know how, but I will surprise her somehow."

"If you want any help with the planning," said Jeff quietly, "then I would be only too happy to volunteer. I would of course have to tell Nick too, because he is my husband and we promised 'no secrets', but he can be trusted."

"I guess that I could sing her a song first then propose up on the stage, a bit like Nick did for you," said Brittany with a smile.

Finn stood back and watched the two of them begin to plot and discuss songs; to talk about that day, not so very long ago, when Kurt and Blaine had made Nick propose; he hadn't planned on doing it anymore, not wanting to steal the limelight on the day of the unexpected Klaine wedding. He smiled, and then recalled what Santana had said about timing. "So, you are going to do it?" Brittany nodded, with a small squeal of joy. "Ok, well I would like to be there, and I am on duty until 9pm, so could you make it after that? I really don't want to miss it…"

Brittany responded at once. "It will be after nine then. I couldn't have you miss it, not after you suggested that I do it."

"Right, we will start planning properly after we finish our shift," said Jeff, as he noticed that the number of customers had begun to grow again. "Just now, we need to get back to work again. Santana would still fire us if we don't serve people." Brittany nodded, and with hardly a goodbye to Finn, the two of them went back to work.

Finn for his part returned to the office, to find Wes and Santana still sitting together, talking about Michelle, and how happy Wes was that she was going to be working there, and, as he himself put it, "escaping my idiot family in Boston."

"Mission accomplished," said Finn, giving Santana a salute, which made her laugh. "She is planning as we speak, with help from Jeff, who overheard everything. You may wish to stay here for an hour or so after they finish up so that the two of them can have an in depth strategy meeting."

"I take it that the other Mr Sterling-Duval will be roped in to help too?" said Wes.

"Affirmative," said Finn. "No secrets ever in their marriage apparently. Makes me wonder how they manage to buy each other gifts though…"

As Wes and Santana smiled at each other over the fact that Finn was taking the whole no secrets thing a bit too far, they failed to notice that the door to the office was being opened…


	8. Hearing Birdy

**Hearing Birdy**

As Michelle entered the corridor that lead to the diner's office, she heard Santana laughing. She had barely left the diner when she had received a call from Isabelle to say that she had been held up at the office, and would have to delay the key handover for an hour. That wasn't a big issue, as Michelle had chosen to return to Boston on the last possible train that evening. She would just need to juggle her plans about a bit, and so her menu meeting with Santana would have to take place first instead. Having heard her laughter, she had expected to find someone with Santana when she opened the door to the office. She found her on her own however, and not even either (a) on the phone; or (b) watching a video on Youtube. But then again, was she on her own… Michelle had been having moments like this ever since her beloved cousin Wes had died; moments when she was absolutely certain that he was present in the room. This was one of those. Santana looked at her with a surprised expression, and was about to speak. She didn't get the opportunity however, before Michelle opened her own mouth and said, "He's here, isn't he? I can't see him or hear him, but he is… Wes is here right now, isn't he - and you can see him…"

Santana regarded Michelle with shock. She had no idea how she could even be aware of the presence of Wes. It wasn't as if she had been given the right to see angels on the night of the Klaine wedding, or the evening before Niff's. Why in fact would she even think that she, Santana, could see her dead cousin? She wished that she could turn round and ask Wes or Finn what she should do, but to turn to them for help now would just serve to reinforce the fact that something supernatural was going on. As if they sensed her quandary, she suddenly heard Finn's voice. "I guess that we have two options here. We can either tell her the truth, or you can lie spectacularly, and hope that she trusts you enough to believe it…"

"Tell her," said Wes was authority. "She was always good at spotting a liar. You are going to have a business relationship with her; you need her, and I would not put it past her to just walk away if she thinks that you are being dishonest with her. So, tell her I am here - don't mention Finn, unless she asks. Just tell her she is right, I am around and that Birdy still loves her." Finn burst out laughing at that, whilst Wes blushed bright red, having revealed the pet name Michelle had always had for him.

Santana for her part tried her best not to even smile. She whispered a quiet "Shut up, Finnessa!" and turned to the young woman that was still standing in the doorway. "Yes, he is here. He doesn't show up very often; he decided that it was for the best if he didn't linger. You see, I am not the only one that can see him…"

"It's all the Warblers, isn't it? Figures - he always said that they were his real family."

"He also asked me to tell you that Birdy still loves you…"

"He said… I still love you too, Birdy. Where is he right now?"

"He's actually sitting on the left hand corner of the desk right now. According to Nick, Wes has taken to sitting inappropriately on the furniture ever since he died." She turned her eyes back to Wes, who she now noted was crying, and her heart broke for him. He was obviously wishing that she could see him; that they could still talk like they always had. Finn was trying to comfort him, but to no avail. She suddenly wondered if the old spell could still work; if it was even possible without the presence of Brittany in the room… "Michelle, I know this is going to sound silly, but do you believe that Wes is here; that he is an angel; that he still loves you with all of his heart?"

Michelle was crying too, now. With a tremor in her voice, she said "I do. I know that he is around, looking out for me… I miss him, so, so much. He was my rock in a turbulent world, and without him, I always feel a little lost. I would give everything just to hear his voice one more time. That would be enough, just to hear him…" With those words, Michelle stumbled over to the second chair in the office and collapsed into it, sobbing as she did so.

Before Santana could react, Wes was up and crouching beside her. He looked as lost as she did, having to fight back his natural urge to wrap an arm around her, and pull her close to his chest. "I wish you could too, cuz. I wish you could too…"

And then Michelle stopped crying; she froze in position, and suddenly her eyes went directly to the spot where Wes was crouching. "Birdy…?" she stammered.

"Oh my… Can you hear me, cuz? Can both of us wishing for something actually have made it happen? I wonder if you will feel this?" He gently flapped his wings, noting as he did so that Michelle's hair moved ever so slightly in the breeze.

"Is that you doing that, Birdy? Because if it is, it is a bit annoying… So, I'm guessing that you really are an angel, not that I ever doubted it, and that those are your wings that you are flapping - ok, enough with the wings already Wesley!" Wes stopped and started to laugh, and her face lit up. "Oh, now that is the sound that I have missed the most since you died. You laughing…. Please tell me that this isn't just a one off. Tell me that you will keep on being around…"

"I will be around, I promise. We will have to work on this, though, and see if we can get you to see me like the others can. I can promise you one thing here and now. I will be here for your opening night. I wouldn't miss that for the world."

As a consequence of the revelation, the menu for Saturday was still unplanned when Michelle looked at her watch, and realised that time had flown by, and she was due to meet Isabelle in five minutes. She rose up, full of apologies to Santana, offering to Skype with her that evening to get everything sorted out. The latter shrugged off her apologies, realising that some things were more important than menu plans. Wes announced that he would walk with Michelle on her way to meet Isabelle; Santana advised her to take out her cellphone and pretend that she was talking into it as they did so, to avoid looking like a crazy person, talking to herself. With a nod of agreement, the two left, leaving Finn and Santana alone.

"So, do you think that there is any possibility that she will ever be able to see him Finn? If anyone else deserves to be able to see Wes, then it is her. She loves him like a little brother."

"Yeah, she does… Wes told me that he knew that she always felt a little bit sorry for him, given the way that his parents treated him, and the abuse that he got from his half-brothers. Those two boys never really accepted his mother into their lives. They always saw her as the woman that destroyed their parents marriage, and as a result, the family. They idolised their mother, and didn't see her flawed personality - she was an alcoholic, apparently. They loved their father too, and thought that the only reason that he left their mother was that he had been lured away by his new secretary - and you can guess who that was. The fact is, they didn't go beyond a professional relationship until after the first Mrs Montgomery left, and asked for a divorce. They didn't like her, and so the offspring of that woman and their father was never going to be liked. I don't get how anyone couldn't like Wes, but…"

"I know what you're saying, but the way I see it, it is their loss and our gain. I mean, if Wes had enjoyed the fraternal relationship you would hope for with those two, would he have loved his boys at Dalton as much as he did? He might have been a very different person for all we know. It's funny, isn't it, when you think about it; how having a rubbish family can make someone a really good person. I mean, look at Blaine and Cooper; Nick; Rory; heck, even Sebastian - all have big issues with at least one parent, and yet they have turned out as some of the most caring guys that I know."

"And don't forget Jeff," added Finn. Santana nodded in agreement, then smiled as she heard the man in question singing happily to himself as he walked past the office door.

Meanwhile, Michelle Lau was having an animated conversation with someone on the other end of her cellphone - or at least, that is what anyone that passed by her as she hurried down the sidewalk would have presumed. In fact, she and Wes were discussing a few ideas that they both had concerning the menu at the Spotlight. She knew that she could not go in and completely change the menu without there being some kind of justifiable backlash, but there were some small, subtle things that could be altered. Some of the dishes could be made healthier without sacrificing anything in the way of taste; a few new sides that would better compliment dishes could be added; and maybe the odd themed day, reflecting what was going on in the city, could be catered for. As Wes put it, "Look at how big a deal St Patrick's Day is in New York, and I bet that no-one has ever even thought of adding a few Irish style dishes to the menu around that time as specials. If you wanted to go with that idea, I think that Rory would back you up on it, and if he does, you will also have Trent behind you. Rory would probably even be able to provide you with a few dishes to put on." Michelle nodded, and made a mental note to discuss the idea with Santana as soon as possible. After all, the day in question was only five weeks away.

If she had expected Wes to leave his place by her side as she approached the spot at which she could see Isabelle waiting for her, she was to be disappointed, but also surprised. As she got close enough for Isabelle to actually catch sight of her, she was pleased to see the Vogue editor's face light up - and shocked when her first words were "Hello Wes! Looking very smart, as ever… And I have to say, incredibly stylish in that suit."

"Kurt won't let me out of the house these days in anything that he has not approved first," said Wes with a laugh.

"He will never change, will he? I bet he has tried to find Alexander McQueen up there too," replied Isabelle.

"Just the once," said Wes, smiling broadly.

Michelle had been standing open mouthed since Isabelle had spoken, but now she exclaimed "Wait a minute - are you telling me you can see him? How on earth…?"

"I happened to be invited to a certain angel wedding; when Kurt and Blaine got married, I was given the ability to see angels, and so… I still thank my stars every day that Kurt insisted on inviting me, and that I was given the privilege."

That knowledge made Michelle feel so sad and conflicted. She could hear Wes, but not see him. She knew it was all down to chance, but at that moment she could not help but feel jealous. She wished that she had known Kurt and Blaine, and that she had been invited to the wedding too…

It ended up being extremely late that evening when Michelle and Santana finally sat down and had their Skype conversation about the menu for Saturday. Both agreed on some really good specials - both agreed that it was better to reduce the price on an individual item rather than do a deal where two dishes were cheaper if they were bought together. There was an agreement that a really rich chocolate cake should be on the menu, alongside the popular churros. Again, it was decided that the specials should be across the entire range, so that every kind of diet would find something to suit. Michelle also confirmed that following her chat with Isabelle, she would officially move to the city on Tuesday, settle in to her new place on Wednesday, and begin to shadow on the Thursday. A staff meeting was not a realistic possibility, given that all of them, particularly those at college, had different days and times when they were available, whilst those that worked during the week had responsibilities at the weekend, or even other jobs. Nonetheless, she hoped to be able to at least say hello to everyone in those first two days. It would also allow Gunther to pass on to her all the little tips and secrets that he had related to Santana over the time she had worked there. She had to admit that she was more than a little nervous about the new role, and the fact that so much of her life was altering in such a short space of time. All that either of them could hope for was that in the end, it would all turn out ok. If it didn't, well they would deal with it when the problems arose.


	9. Tridecaphobia

**Tridecaphobia**

When the delivery van arrived at the kerbside outside the building which contained Michelle's new apartment on Tuesday, it went without saying that there would be a large group of people standing there, waiting to assist with the unloading and the carrying of items up to her new home. It wasn't just the desire to help that brought them there, of course - there was a curiosity about what kind of stuff she owned; that was only natural. If they had been expecting priceless heirlooms, then they would have been sorely disappointed to say the least. Instead, she owned a small amount of good, solid furniture. Although none of them realised it, some of those items had graced the tiny apartment in Harvard that had once been home to Wes. She and her mother had both agreed that it would be a tragedy if everything that he had loved and collected over his short life ended up being thrown away, and so her mother had offered to assist her sister by hiring the house clearance company for her. This had been accepted; in fact, it had been the mother and daughter that had done the work. So the pair of candlesticks that he had been given by his late grandmother when he had gone to Dalton - an unusual and slightly eccentric gift, but useful too - and the little marble clock that he had found in an antique shop on his first weekend at Harvard now sat side by side on the mantle of a little apartment in Manhattan. Wes knew all about this, and was happy. If anyone should have access to his belongings, then he was glad that it was Michelle.

She spent her day on Wednesday familiarising herself with the immediate neighbourhood, including a trip to pick up the essentials at the small supermarket. Her day progressed to a trip up to Union Square on her new metrocard - there she browsed for a while in Barnes and Noble, before going on to see what people were buying in the nearby Wholefoods Market. After all, they would possibly buy the same things if they were available in the local diner; and she could also see that the fillings in the sandwiches at the Spotlight could be updated to reflect the modern trends.

Her day ended with a walk around in the vicinity of the diner itself, to see what kind of competition they had. She was pleased to see that the Spotlight was the only traditional style diner left in the area. She wondered if they were pushing that fact to their advantage as much as they could be; that was something she would have to look into in the long run. She also wondered if she could possibly tempt Rachel back onto the tiny stage at the Spotlight one evening, maybe even with Cooper as her co-star for a special Monday evening of Broadway hits. After all, who could possibly resist an evening with one Broadway star, and one about to be star, especially if they did it for a charity… That thought brought her on to the NYADA connection, and again, she wondered if they exploited that enough - after all, there were probably a lot of students there who would only be too happy to take to the stage at the diner if they were given half a chance.

She related all of her ideas to Santana on Thursday morning, and went on to talk not just to several of the new owners, but also some of the long serving staff. Most of them were in favour of the ideas she was proposing - but those of the new owners that were studying at Columbia, NYU and Julliard were keen to point out that if the stage was to be opened up, then it should be for all students of music and dance. It was in the middle of a 'discussion' on this subject that Nick, ever the diplomat, tried to calm things down by suggesting that it wasn't a competition. This provoked a stunned silence for a moment, before Sebastian, who had been championing NYU rather than his own NYADA (as he later stated, he knew that if Kitty ever found out that it had not been added to the list, then she would want to kill…) suddenly stated "Maybe it should be… Like America's Got Talent, but with actual talent…" That statement caused them all to dissolve into laughter, all animosity forgotten - but made Michelle think that he might just have hit on something. Sebastian was delighted with the reaction, and quipped "We could call it Under the Spotlight, or something; even give a prize of some kind, even if it is just free food every Saturday night for a year…"

"A year! Are you trying to bankrupt us before we can even say that we own the place?" said Santana. "I say six months tops." With that, another idea for the future had been born, to be investigated, costed and possibly put into action once the keys were finally in their hands.

Before anyone knew it, it was Friday. Some of them were not looking forward to the day as a result of the date; others, particularly those at NYADA, had to deal with a heavy load of classes and assignments. Indeed, such was the pressure of the workload on all of them that day that of all the new partners, Mike was the only one that was free during the day. This gave him a chance to spend the day working side by side with Michelle. He was still a relatively new boy at the diner, but with both Elliot and Dani on duty (the former had quickly fitted right in, even if he and Dani did spend time chatting to each other when they thought no-one was looking) the place was running very smoothly…

That was until 1.13pm. Or 13.13 on the 13th…

Dani had gone to make a coffee for a customer, and halfway through the process, there was an almighty bang. After many years of faithful service, the diner's coffee machine had decided to check out. It was the kind of disaster that would chill the heart of even the most experienced restaurateur. For Mike, a fledgling soon-to-be diner owner, it was an apocalyptic moment. Worse still, both Gunther and Michelle had left the building for a few minutes. With no coffee available other than that that was already in the jug on the machine, and a busy diner, there was a disaster of epic proportions in the offing. Mike had to take the initiative at that moment to save the situation. He had to find the number of the engineer that maintained the machine; but first, he had a coffee crisis to deal with…and the only answer he could come up with had nine letters, started with an S, and was located a block away…

Michelle was just strolling back from her visit to the bank when she saw Elliot running towards her, a wad of notes from the register in one hand. She caught up with him as he placed his hand on the door of Starbucks, a long list written on the back of his hand. Before she could even speak, he just said "Ask Mike. We have a situation…" As Elliot pushed the door and headed into the rival coffee shop, Michelle broke into a run, and on arriving at the door of the Spotlight less than a minute later she saw Dani putting a hand written notice up by the door - _Sorry! No Coffee._

"Oh. My. Good. God!" was Michelle's first thought. She headed in, took one look at the coffee machine, still emitting a faint smoke, and headed into the office. There she found Mike on the telephone, speaking as calmly as he could to a truculent representative of the maintenance company. His voice was calm, but his face betrayed his true feelings of panic. He looked up, saw Michelle, smiled in relief, then said, one hand over the mouthpiece, "The coffee machine - they say it will be Monday at the earliest…"

Michelle held out her hand, and Mike gratefully handed her the phone. He learned a string of swear words in the next minute that he had never knew existed, and he doubted that even Puck or Santana knew them either. Then with a "Thank You!" Michelle put down the phone. "They're on their way. I informed them that the business was changing hands next week, and that new owners often seek out new trades people. It's amazing what a bit of blackmail can do…. So, it was your idea I take it to send Elliot to Starbucks to fill the orders already taken?" Mike nodded, and braced himself for criticism. "Good thinking - bit of a hit on the bottom line, but keeps the customers happy. You should be proud of yourself." Given the smile that he was getting, Mike was more than happy to concur.

He also knew exactly when all of his fellow partners based in New York would finish their classes for the day, and sent them a group text five minutes after his conversation with Michelle to let then know what had happened. Despite the fact that he pointed out that the problem was being dealt with as he typed, he and Michelle both knew exactly what to expect; and soon there was a steady stream of partners coming through the door, all looking so relieved to see that the machine was under repair. The workman had informed Michelle that parts for that type of machine were now hard to come by, given just how venerable the thing was; and she knew that they would all have to confront the fact that they would need to buy a state of the art, up to date replacement for it sooner rather than later. That was a subject though for the first big partners meeting, to be held after they had got through the first few weeks of actually being in charge.

All of them sat and waited whilst the repair was made, and when it was finally fixed, Jeff, who by now was officially on shift, gingerly coaxed a cappuccino out of it. Then with many sighs of relief, they all headed away again. Santana had the night off, mainly because she had rostered herself to be on duty every night for the next week. In any case, Gunther wanted to do one last Friday night before he finally handed over the keys to the business that his grandfather had started all those years ago. With Jeff, Sam and naturally enough, Nick on duty, the night would be a good one, and there would hopefully be no further problems.

Mike had collected Tina and Quinn from the station by the time that Nick and Jeff arrived home, having been sent home early by Gunther - his wife had joined him, and this meant that they had more than enough cover for what was a quiet night. Mike had made a dish of noodles with meatballs for himself and Tina, Quinn having headed next door to share a meal with Santana and Brittany. There was more than enough for Nick and Jeff to join them, and the two couples caught up over dinner; Tina telling them all about the antics of some of her college roommates in lurid detail, before pointing out that Jeff's cousin Flora was, like her, just concentrating hard on her studies.

They had just begun to talk about what would be happening the following day when Nick suddenly froze and said " _ **Our**_ diner… It's just hit me. This time tomorrow, it really will be _our_ diner, and that is scary as heck. I mean, I am barely twenty, married and going into business…" They all fell silent, contemplating what Nick had just said, Jeff taking his hand and nodding in agreement.

"I guess that we are lucky to have the opportunity to do this, though," said Mike quietly, his arm around Tina's shoulder. "I mean, we can only do this because we have lost people… You know, I would give all of this up tomorrow if it meant that they could stay alive." None of those around that small table could disagree with what he said.

Across the landing, the Unholy Trinity were eventually joined by Puck, who was happily reunited with Quinn. He was followed moments later by Sam, also sent home early. Just after eleven, Rachel arrived home from the theatre, accompanied by Trent and Rory, who she had met at the subway station on their way to Bushwick from Washington DC. They were all in deep anticipation of the events of the next day. It would be a challenge, but like all of the things that life had thrown at them over the last year or so, they would rise to it.


	10. Taking ownership

**Taking ownership**

The first of the partners were back in the diner by eight o'clock the following morning, in the shape of Mike, who had agreed to take the early turn in exchange for a break over the afternoon. He found himself on duty with staff that he had worked with before; all of them now, however, jokingly referred to him as 'boss'. To this statement he replied with the phrase "Not until noon…" He wasn't surprised at all when Santana and Michelle walked in seconds apart just after nine, nor when Gunther and his wife appeared only ten minutes later. The arrival of those two was greeted with great warmth by so many of the customers who lamented their going, but all of them had to agree that he was leaving the place in the best possible hands. They all turned their hands to serving the breakfast crowd - and this morning, it really was a crowd, as so many people came in to say goodbye. Mike found himself stationed at the coffee machine, which was behaving itself this morning, but he had to admit that he was starting to feel the heat. He was grateful to hear the words, "Need a hand, dancing boy?"; he spun round to smile at Flint, who was shrugging off his coat, handing it to Beats to put away, and replied "Yeah, that would be good preppy boy!" He did not notice that Flint turned pale for a moment at his words, but it was only a moment. Soon it had been forgotten, and the two of them turned their attention to making coffee after coffee.

The partners were all gathered by 11.55, with the exception of Rachel, who had been called to the theatre to perform the matinee, her understudy unable to make it on time, and Cooper; he had gone with Grace to the offices of Gunther's lawyer to sort everything possible out apart from the last few signatures. There was an air of anticipation about the place from the new partners; an air of sadness from Gunther, and indeed his wife. She might never have fallen in love with the Spotlight quite as much as he had whilst he had been in charge of it, but now as the last minutes of their ownership ticked down, she had begun to reminisce about the life they had enjoyed in the place. She told stories about the good days and the bad; about the moment thirty years before when the entire block had been scheduled by zealous city authorities for demolition, when they had stayed whilst the neighbours had all left, and how their faith had paid off when a temporary stay on the process had turned into a permanent reprieve.

Then, as the clock behind the counter ticked down the last seconds to noon, the door opened and Cooper walked in, followed by Grace and Gunther's lawyer. It took less than a minute for the deal to be formally sealed with a signature from Gunther and one from Santana - as she had been the one that had been offered the opportunity to buy in the first place, they all agreed that she should be appointed as the key signatory for the partners. Then with a handshake, the keys and papers were handed over, and the Spotlight Diner was officially under new ownership. Gunther wished them all well, and hoped that the diner would bring them all the happiness that he and his wife had enjoyed over the years. He then took his leave, promising that he would be back later that evening to help them celebrate the opening of a new chapter in the diner's history.

As for the partners, they were all so engrossed in the sight of the official document that they failed to notice that as Gunther left, he held the door open to admit a small group of people. They waited at the door for a moment, and then, not being noticed, made their way up to the counter where the new owners were gathered. They waited for a moment, and then one of them spoke.

"What do you have to do to get a coffee in this joint?"

"That's New York for you - it is much better than this in L.A…."

Almost as one on hearing those words, the partner's heads spun round, some of them ready with a suitably barbed comment on their lips. Those words died the moment that they saw that the words had come from David and Mercedes respectively; and that standing by their side were Jake, Unique, and trying hard not to laugh at the frowning faces, Thad.

"Did you really think that we wouldn't come to see you all on such a momentous day?" said Mercedes as the frowns turned to grins. "Particularly now that the record label have given me access to a private jet as part of my contract…"

"You get a private jet now…" said Santana, stepping forward to embrace her friend. "So, hands up who thinks that Berry will spew when she finds that out?" When everyone, even Sam, put their hands up, their was an outbreak of laughter.

After they had exchanged greetings, it was back to business for the partners - there were still so many customers to be served after all. Mike and Flint sorted out drinks for their far travelled friends; Michelle and Thad had hugged each other long and hard, and when she whispered urgently "I heard him! I can hear Wes!" he tightened the hug all the more. Then it was all hands on deck for the planning for their opening night, and the transformation of the diner into a haven for the singletons that just didn't get why people bothered with Valentine's, and a comfortable place for the happy couples too.

Santana could not help but smile as Brittany kept sneaking subtle glances at her as the day went on. She had no idea what she had set up for her after nine; she just hoped that her plans for after eight would work out. Initially she had intended to work alone, but she had been convinced by Wes that asking some of their closest friends to help out was not a bad thing. In the end she had chosen to ask Artie, ever the soul of discretion, and of course Quinn, the other third of the Unholy Trinity. Both of them had been only too happy to agree to help her out. What Santana did not know was that less than an hour later, Artie had become an unwitting double agent; when Brittany had also asked him for his help, he could not possibly say no to her either. As a result of his duplicity, the plans of the two young women were much closer than they might otherwise have been. Artie's brilliance in keeping the two sets of secrets had been noted by Kurt and Blaine. They had paid him a visit the previous night - and it seemed that they too had made a contingency plan for the big night…

Time flew by that afternoon. Word had quickly spread that the Spotlight Diner was under new ownership; that it had been bought by a group of its young staff and their closest friends was a revelation for many of the people that appeared. Then it had been revealed that a couple of its new owners were current or future Broadway stars, and the excitement grew to fevered levels. When Dani had announced that particular bit of news to Santana, she had laughed loudly; she knew that when Rachel found out, she would be as overexcited and dramatic as ever. When the news was given to Cooper, he blushed and stated with a humility that surprised them all that he wasn't a star yet. Nonetheless, they all knew that it was that fact that had brought many of the new faces into the diner - now they just needed to keep them there. Cooper had been forced to leave not long after the keys had been handed over, as he, like Rachel, had to head to the theatre, although in his case he was not due to appear. In doing so, he had managed to ensure that he did not have to show up on Saturday night, thus ensuring that he was there on the big first night. They could therefore not ask him to get up and sing. Instead, without even being prompted as the news spread, Mercedes did them all a big favour - she made her way over to the stage, and after a quick introduction from David, she put on a performance for the crowd. When she had been announced there had been gasps and cheers - after all, the name Mercedes Jones was becoming more and more well known by the day. No-one had expected to see her perform at the Spotlight though.

As the news of here impromptu show filtered out on social media, the crowds in the diner grew even more rapidly. It reached the point that Beats and Puck had to act as unofficial doormen, to prevent them breaking every fire regulation in the book, and allow access on a one out, one in basis. Not even Burt and Carole were spared when they arrived, and in the end, Puck was forced to smuggle them in via the back door. A queue formed on the sidewalk outside the diner, which in turn generated even more curiosity. As a result, the cash register rang non-stop, with Trent taking a permanent seat at it; made Jeff thank God out loud for the fact that the place had more staff than it would normally know what to do with, as even Grace found herself running around with a tray; and put both Mike and Flint off coffee for a week, so strongly of it did they both smell after making one cup after another for the best part of the afternoon.

Once Mercedes finally left the stage, and had signed dozens of autographs, David stood at her side, sunglasses on, arms folded, pretending to be her security - that sight had forced Trent to abandon his post and run into the kitchen to join Thad, Nick and Jeff in hysterics, which lasted for well over five minutes, a new record even by Warbler standards - the diner became gradually less busy, and they could all catch a breath and breathe a sigh of grateful relief. In the office safe, several neat bundles of notes sat waiting to be properly tallied, having been handed to Michelle by Trent when the register drawer could accommodate them no more. They couldn't yet say with any certainty, but it did look as if the sum would be well into four figures. As they all took a rest, Jeff suddenly made a decision, and after a quick word with his new manager, Michelle, he went into the locker room to retrieve his drawing pad and pencils, then headed straight for Mercedes to ask if he could draw her portrait. She agreed happily, mentioning that David had said that he was an immensely talented artist, and that he had been most impressed with the picture that he posed for himself last year. When she said that she would love to see it sometime, David and Jeff both blushed, before the latter quickly changed the subject, saying that he wasn't sure exactly where he could find it.

The whole of the exchange was overheard by Santana, who was puzzled as to why he would not be able to locate any of his work at once, given that he had the benefit of a well organised husband; but moreover, why did the mention of the portrait have both the artist and the subject blushing? Her third eye immediately told her that there was a story there that needed to be found out. It was too busy to look into it now - she did not have time to grab Nick and interrogate him - but soon, when she was less busy, she would investigate what was going on…

By the time that Cooper and Rachel returned that evening, just after seven, the place was busy yet again, but not to the extent that it had been that afternoon. Rachel had greeted the L.A. contingent warmly, and had even managed to keep smiling when she was informed about the private jet - though the way she kept saying "That's nice…" through gritted teeth caused Rory to burst out laughing as he walked by.

Jeff had handed his finished portrait to Mercedes, and she had been overjoyed with it. She had agreed to his request that she signed it; he had decided that it should be framed and hung on the wall by the stage to commemorate the day that she had sung there as her career had just begun to take off. Being the wise person that he was, he had promised that he would add portraits of both Rachel and Cooper to let everyone know that they too were involved with the business. Everyone was exceptionally pleased with how well things had gone, and that fact stopped them from flagging, and allowed them to carry on working.

As he had promised, Gunther had returned, his first words being that he had heard that the place was queued out. After he and his wife had been introduced properly to the L.A. contingent, they were seated at the best table in the place, and treated to a free dinner. It had been decided that they should be served by two of the partners that were not regular staff, and the job fell to Cooper and Quinn. Around them, the diner filled up. The large singletons group tables were working well, and Artie's tray was being made full use of, allowing them to deliver large amounts of food at the one time. Meanwhile, of course, the usual singing went on in the background - one particular highlight had been when Kitty had made her way over to the temporarily empty stage, and launched into a spirited rendition of _I Cain't Say No_ from the classic musical _Oklahoma!_ Her performance had begun just as Carmen Tibideaux had walked in the front door. Her rendition had left the NYADA dean wondering why the girl was not at her school alongside the others.


	11. Valentine's Engagement

**Valentine's Engagement**

As the afternoon had slowly become the evening, Santana had begun to feel her stress levels rise. She still managed to assist with the customers in her usual polite manner; she managed to help Michelle co-ordinate the kitchen and the front of house; to see that the service was swift and the clean up afterwards was just as fast. She could however feel herself becoming more and more tetchy. She felt that she had hidden that well, until she heard Sebastian of all people turn round to Dave and whisper "Look out - Auntie Snixx is back!" That was enough for her to decide that she needed to take a break, and so she grabbed her coat and headed outside to stand on the sidewalk as she had done so many times, standing apart from the handful of people smoking outside. It was a dreadful habit, but she supposed that it gave them more of a reason than her to be standing outside the diner on a night that was growing increasingly cold. She stood and watched as inside her friends - her colleagues now she realised - went about inside serving and singing, all of them happy. Brittany in particular seemed not to have a care in the world as she paused to whisper something in Artie's ear….

It hit her then - why Artie had looked so tired and stressed for much of this week. They had both been using him to assist them with their proposals. "Darn wheels, you are just too nice! You could quite easily have said no to one of us - unless of course I was the one to ask first, because Brittany would never have understood why you said no to her…" The young man in question suddenly looked up and blushed as he realised she was staring at him through the window. He stared at her for a moment, then gave her a quick thumbs up, before he moved away to help serve another customer.

"At least you know that she won't say no," said a voice behind her, and she spun round to find Blaine standing there. "I didn't know with Kurt - I mean, when I asked him to marry me at Dalton, we had barely just agreed to become boyfriends again. He could quite easily have slapped me, dumped me, and stormed out…"

"Trust me, he was never going to do that. I lived with him whilst the two of you were apart, remember. He pined for you every single day, even when he was with Adam. I could see in his eyes that he wasn't really happy; that however nice the British guy was, he would far rather have been with you…"

"And I can see that Brittany would never dream of saying no to you either. Together the two of you are an absolute joy to watch. When she didn't have you, senior year at McKinley, she was so sad most of the time; the whole thing she had with Sam, well that was just to give her somebody to keep her company when she felt sad and alone. It could just as easily have been me that she latched on to, but after she found out that I had cheated on Kurt… well, she never really forgave me for cheating on her dolphin at the time."

"Now that much I know to be true. I don't think that she truly forgave you until we got her back to McKinley at the end of that year, and she saw for herself that the two of you were happy again."

"Right, enough of this. Now it is time for you to go and do what you have wanted to do for a very long time. What she has been ready for you to so since her junior year…"

"It's scary, ok…"

"I know, but in the end, it will be so worth it. The day that I finally married Kurt was the happiest day of my afterlife…"

Santana looked at him, and then burst out laughing.

"I know, I know," Blaine said with a grin, "but doesn't that statement give you all the more impetus to go and do this now? Stop stalling! It is time! Get back in there right now, because I know that both Quinn and Artie are more than ready."

Santana drew in a deep breath, and strode back into the diner with purpose. She took off her coat and flung it at a confused Beats, once again stationed at the door. She kept walking, ignoring his protests about not being a cloakroom attendant as she did so. Puck however instinctively knew what was about to happen, and quickly darted over to whisper in his ear - and having done so, all of the former Warbler's protests stopped. Sure enough, Santana nodded to Quinn, and signalled to Artie. Brittany found herself being propelled towards the stage by Quinn, the tray of drinks that she had been carrying passed without ceremony to Mike, who after a moment of confusion, realised as Puck had done what was about to unfold. He glanced over at the stage where Santana was now standing, and gave her a thumbs up and a big smile. She for her part smiled right back, all the time watching as the woman she loved and adored was manoeuvred through the room towards the bottom of the stage steps by Quinn. This was it. The moment had finally arrived. She had planned to sing, but no, she wouldn't. All she would do was get down on one knee and speak to her from the bottom of her heart.

The only problem that she faced was the noise. The diner was exceptionally busy after all, and she did not wish to start shouting at the customers so early in their tenure as owners. Then again, she didn't want to be quiet about things either. She tried to get everyone's attention by clearing her throat, and even just by simply tapping hard on the microphone, but such was the volume of the chatter that it was all to no avail. Brittany was by now at her side, looking beautiful as always, if slightly bewildered as to what was going on. Sitting by the counter, however, was one person that noticed her plight. They also had the solution in their pocket. They pulled it out, with a grin. By their side, an angel suddenly appeared, and with a broad smile on his face said "Let him rip!" Suddenly, a loud report of wood on wood was heard, as Thad banged on the diner's counter with a gavel that was oh so familiar to all of the Warblers. The sound of Mr Bangy was still enough to silence all of them at once; the New Directions realised what it was, saw Wes, and also fell silent. It did not work as well on the general public, and it took Thad four loud bangs on the counter to finally quiet the last person in the room. That they fell silent more out of shock than anything else did not matter. With a curt nod, Thad bowed to Santana, as Wes stood by his side, giving her a massive smile and a thumbs up.

"Well, thank you Thad and Mr Bangy, for getting everybody' attention for me at last. Now that I have it, I am not going to take up too much of your time. Firstly, I would like to welcome all of you here this evening on behalf of myself and all of the Spotlight Partners. This is our first night in charge, and it just so happens to have coincided with Valentine's Day. Whether you are here as a regular, or as a first timer, I hope that all of you are enjoying yourself, and that tonight will be the first of many on which we can welcome you. Anyway, moving on… I'd like to tell you all the reason that I am up here with this beautiful, wonderful young woman. For those of you that have not had the pleasure to have met her, this is Brittany. I met her in high school, where we were both cheerleaders. She is enchanting, if a bit eccentric, but that trait is what makes her so special to all those of us that have the pleasure of really knowing her. To me though, if I am honest, well she is the love of my life. Each and every single day she surprises me; she delights me; she makes me love her all the more. So today, I am going to do something that I should have done a long time ago, but first the Hobbit and Porcelain got there - and trust me, that was completely off the scale, thanks to Blaine. Then Nick and Jeff - aka Niff - jumped in. Since then, two more pairs of guys have taken the big step, and said those four little words. Notice the fact that all of the people in question are guys… Anyway, I have it on good authority that she is going to ask me those words herself in about an hours time. She still can, and I am looking forward to it, but as anyone that knows me will tell you, I like to get in first…." With that, Santana got down on one knee. "Brittany Susan Pierce, will you make me the happiest woman in the entire universe, and agree to be my wife? In other words, will you marry me?"

The room fell silent. The couple's friends held their breath in anticipation; the diners sat and waited, even those that had come to the place to avoid the general soppiness of the day. Then, Brittany spoke. "What would you do if I said no, Santana?"

"I would cry, if I am honest… My heart would be broken, but I would understand, as long as you stayed in my life."

"Well, when have I ever said no to you? So yes, I will marry you, but on two conditions…"

"Name them, my love."

"I get to propose to you at nine. And we don't swap rings until then."

"It's a deal - anything for the future Mrs Pierce-Lopez. So, as you were ladies and gentlemen - next proposal at nine; so, that would be in about 50 minutes time." With those words, Santana wrapped her arm around Brittany's shoulder, and escorted her off the stage, across the diner, and into the office, to the delight of all of their friends. The noise started up again, and normality was resumed. Once again, food and drink was being consumed to and from the tables; Tina grabbed her chance, and dragged Mike up onto the stage to sing with her.

At the bar, Thad sat in silence, something that Wes immediately noticed. "You wish that it had been you and me up there, don't you?" he said quietly. "It should have been, could have been if I had come to my senses and told you how I felt earlier. I do want to marry you, and one day, probably long after all the others have married, we will…"

"Likewise Wes. I can wait a lifetime for you. I have the promise of eternity with you, and that is more than enough for me…"

So it was that as nine o'clock came around, the atmosphere in the diner moved to one of expectation. Jeff had disappeared along with Artie and Nick about ten minutes beforehand, no doubt to get ready to help with whatever Brittany had planned. The young lady in question had, however, not reappeared from the office since Santana had taken her there after her own proposal; and as could only be expected, numerous suggestions and a fair deal of innuendo had been made about what the two of them were doing in there. No-one guessed accurately though. The two of them were looking at details of wedding venues online. They did not want to get married at the Spotlight, as after all, who wants to get married at their place of work? They also rejected the New Yorker hotel - the place would be too full of memories of what had happened there after Niff had tied the knot for pretty much everyone. They also deemed that just going to City Hall was far too boring. It turned out that there were a lot of very interesting places that you could get married in the city, and they both agreed that the whole thing need further investigation at their leisure. After all, along engagement was not an issue for them; they felt no need to rush things. They were so engrossed in their search that they did not notice the time, and it was only when Kurt appeared, tapping his finger on his watch, that they realised that there was somewhere else that they were supposed to be, and that they had a very expectant audience waiting.

For a moment, Santana found herself alone in the middle of the diner as Brittany rushed away to get ready. She accepted the congratulations of her friends, and from total strangers. Then she made her way to the stage, unsure what she could expect to see. She had a feeling that it would be far more elaborate than the proposal that she had made just over an hour before. In that, she was to be proved right.

Brittany stepped onto the stage, with the three young men right behind her, and without a preamble, launched into her song - _I only want to be with you_ by Dusty Springfield. She nailed it, naturally, every word aimed at a blushing Santana. The latter did not see the looks of approval from all around her, not just from her friends, but from all the customers, and most importantly Gunther. He had realised from the moment that he had first been introduced to Brittany that she and Santana had been made for each other. It was a feeling that was shared by all of the people gathered in the diner, all of whom were also trying hard not to laugh at the antics of the backing singers, particularly the faces that Nick and Jeff kept making at each other. Then the song was over, and Santana suddenly found herself being manhandled in the direction of the stage by Puck. She didn't understand why she was suddenly so scared to step up on the stage where she had been so many times before, but she was. That all ended the moment that she was up there, and wrapped up in Brittany's arms. Then, all of her fear faded, and she was back to her usual confident self.

"Santana, I remember the day that we first met properly, in freshman year, when we both went to try out for Cheerios. You were so strong and brave; so smart; so sassy - and me, I was the shy blonde, who people thought was a bit dumb, and slightly obsessed with her bizarrely named cat. Lord Tubbington does send his regards, by the way." She paused, as a ripple of laughter echoed throughout the room. "I'm still not sure exactly how you, me and Quinn came to rule the school, so to speak, but we did. And if we are bring honest, I think that we were total bitches whilst we did. Then we ended up joining Glee, and everything changed. Our lady kisses began to mean a lot more to me; they already meant so much to you, and I began to realise that you were far more to me than just my best friend - I guess just like Blaine realised that Kurt was more than his best friend too; and Nick and Jeff too, I guess. Anyway, I knew that I loved you, and I knew that you loved me too. Like all good things, it wasn't an easy road to get here. We have had our fair share of troubles, particularly when you were outed; then we split up when you went to college, and I was held back… I was so lonely and sad without you in my life; I tried to move on, and so did you, but in the end, we came back to each other. We are soulmates after all, meant to be together. So now, it is my turn; Santana, will you marry me?"

"Of course I will! I love you so much. Heck, I even love Lord Tubbington at the moment!" That set them both off laughing, and that laughter continued as they both slipped a ring on the others finger, the sound of it being drowned out by the cheers and applause from around the room.

It turned out, as it happened, that theirs would not be the only proposal to take place at the diner that evening. Two pairs of diners also left the premises having exchanged a ring. Meanwhile at the specially set up singletons tables, there were more than a few that left a little less single. As time went on, some of the invited guests left - Gunther and his wife departed with smiles all round, about to embark on the new adventure of retirement. Burt and Carole left just before eleven, stating that they weren't getting any younger, and they had to be up reasonably early in the morning to head back to Lima, where Burt had some constituents to meet. The others remained, although the crowds were thinning out, and fatigue was starting to tell. Finally, just before midnight, the time came to cash up the registers, and replace the floats with fresh ones for the night shift. The partners were still undecided about whether the diner should carry on being open all night - after all, it had only been started just after Hunter's trial, and the takings were not huge, except in the early hours of a Saturday and Sunday morning. That debate was for another day though - just now, all of them wanted to now exactly how much they had taken.

By now, the partners and their friends easily outnumbered the customers, so it was easy for all of them to find a seat as they waited. To speed things up, the registers were being tallied by three people instead of the usual one. Michelle and Santana had been joined by Nick, who had pointed out that Jeff was half asleep, liable as a result to miscount, and so it would be better if he did the work. Coins were weighed, bills counted, totals written and then double checked. When they emerged from the office with a sheet of paper, there was an air of nervous anticipation, which promptly gave way to happiness when Michelle read out the figure. It had been a magnificent start, and it seemed that the Spotlight was going to be a very profitable business for all of them. That was the cue for them to head home, although some of them decided to head out to a club to celebrate their success. For others, like Nick and Jeff, bed was calling loudly, and they hailed a cab to get home swiftly. After all, Jeff was due back at 8am at his own request, as Nick was due at the Law Library for a shift an hour later. When they arrived home, they just headed to bed, and fell asleep almost at once. The day had been good, but long; and before too long, they would have to do it all over again.


	12. St Patrick's

**St Patrick's**

After the hectic opening night on Valentine's Day, the pattern of life returned more or less to normal. On the Sunday morning, Puck went back to his base, unsure when his next leave would be. Quinn and Tina headed back to college on the train. Trent and Rory went in the opposite direction, back to Washington DC, to their mixture of college and work. With Rory now at college part time, Trent had taken up the slack and was also now registered as an assistant to Burt, between them making up one full time staff member. Beats and Flint had headed back to Princeton, to their studies and to taking off their uniforms for a screaming crowds several times a week. The crowd from L.A. stayed a little while longer, and it was midweek before they headed back to the warmer west coast. As for the diner, it remained busy; if anything, busier, partly due to the immediate success of Michelle's morning cake and coffee promotion. They had also begun to plan for the next major event.

Although the actual day fell on a Tuesday that year, they had all agreed that the diner would stage an early celebration of St Patrick's Day on the weekend before. Rory and Trent had both arranged to be in town and the former had agreed quite willingly to help them out with a selection of Irish specialities. This included divulging his Nana's recipe for potato scones, so that they could offer a full Irish Fry all weekend, and on the day itself. Not all of the ingredients were readily available at their usual suppliers, and it took a special trip to an Irish store in Brooklyn to obtain some of the necessary meat products. When he had heard that they were intending to head there, Rory had looked up the store on the internet; this had lead to him supplying a long list of other things purely for his own consumption to the store; little things that his taste buds longed for. In the end, the box that they made up with his requests was larger than the one that the meat came in.

It was the first thing that Rory dived into when he and Trent arrived at the newer loft on the Friday of that weekend - yet another thirteenth. To see how his face lit up as he pulled out the familiar packets of tea and biscuits made them all smile. He shared out some of the chocolate; a brand which was also available in the States, but they all had to agree that the Irish version was much, much better. Then he pulled out one particular bag, which he held close to his chest, before announcing that he was heading into the kitchen. Only Trent was permitted to follow him, leaving all the others mystified as to what he was going to do. In no time, the two of them were back, and so they were all surprised when in less than half an hour, Rory was presenting them with a perfectly made loaf of Irish Soda bread. It was again shared out and enjoyed. Rory promised that he would make it again, from scratch, at the diner the following day, so that it could be served alongside the good homemade broth he had insisted upon. This done, he was off to bed, Trent at his side, knowing full well that they would have an early start the following morning. After all, he had to prepare the largest amount of potato scones he had ever attempted. Trent, in his role as willing sous chef, would be joining him.

When Sam dragged himself out of bed at 6am the following morning for his early shift, it was to discover that Trent and Rory had already left - in fact, he had missed them by an hour. A note from Trent explained that they had a lot of potatoes to boil and Rory had wished to get as early a start on the process as possible. For some reason that morning, Sam chose to skip his usual bowl of cereal and instead had a slice of toast with his usual glass of milk. Washed and dressed in his uniform, he then wrapped up well against the early morning chill to walk the short distance to the subway, though he ended up running the final few steps as he heard the train approaching. The one thing that Sam did like about the early shift on a Saturday was the fact that the train was much quieter; so much so that he usually got a seat for at least part of the journey. He walked into the diner half an hour before his official start time, and was instantly confronted by the most marvellous smell. The duty staff were all smiles too, and not just because they were reaching the end of their shift. On closer inspection, he realised that behind the counter, there was a plate of freshly made potato scones, which they were all sharing. He helped himself to one, and tried Rory's speciality for the first time. He could see at once why Jeff had described them to him as pure food heaven. He was strict with himself then, and walked away, leaving the rest of the plate for the others to finish. In the kitchen, he found a cloud of steam, and Trent in the process of mashing a huge pot of potatoes; at his side, Rory was weighing out the dry ingredients ready for his next batch. It was only as the steam cleared that Sam finally saw the mountain of potato scones that they had already prepared. It didn't look like they were going to run out of them anytime soon…

By the time that Santana walked in just after eight, with Jeff hard on her heels - the subway having run late - serious inroads were already being made into the pile of scones. They had been put on the specials board either on their own, or as part of an Irish Fry - and true to the legacy of the Irish community in the city, they were selling like hot cakes. On entering the kitchen, they discovered Sam in the process of eating a fresh soda bread roll, filled with a potato scone, fried egg and a slice of black pudding, his face glowing with pleasure. On seeing them, all he could say was "You guys have got to try this! It is…wow!" before he took another mouthful. Jeff was straight over. He had promised Nick that he wouldn't eat too many potato scones, but he hadn't said anything about breakfast rolls, and one scone wasn't going to hurt. Santana agreed to the combination, but only after a show of reluctance. One mouthful later, and she had to agree with Sam. It couldn't possibly be healthy, that much was true, but it was absolutely delicious. Not that she was 100% sure exactly what black pudding was, having only ordered it as per Rory's request. When she enquired, and was told, she did pause for a moment. Pigs blood!? But it did taste so good, and she soon finished the roll off. She did however make a mental note to ensure that Rachel was kept as far away as possible from the black stuff…

Such was the demand for the Irish Fry that morning, that when Michelle came in at midday, Santana had to leave to head to the butcher in Brooklyn to pick up a fresh supply of meat. It appeared that everyone in the city had been more than happy that morning to ditch the healthy breakfast options and settle for something fried. Even Isabelle, who had appeared about ten for a coffee, had been persuaded; although admittedly she had been faced with Rory sweet talking her in his broadest Irish brogue into trying a potato scone. She had ended up with a plate filled with bacon, black and white pudding, and the potato scone. Sure, she knew that she would feel guilty about eating all of it later, but she could just take the stairs rather than the lift up to her office for the rest of the month. The kitchen was now filled with the aroma of baking soda bread, and the smell of the thick lentil soup - one made with bacon, the other without. Rory was still preparing potato scones though, and Trent was still assisting him, although his arms were aching from all the mashing, and he was looking tired. Michelle could only smile at them, bearing in mind that she wasn't actually paying them - and more importantly, the first glance at the figures made it look as if the promotion had been a success. At Trent's urging, she took a plate of the soup, along with a chunk of soda bread. As she sat in her office, she took her first spoonful, and instantly knew why things were going so well. What she was consuming was unadulterated comfort food.

In the end, Rory only agreed to go home when it was pointed out to him that Trent had fallen asleep in a booth outside in the main body of the diner. He left one batch of potato scones cooking on the hotplate, and another pile ready to go on; he also explained the correct way to cook them about three times before Santana bodily removed him from the kitchen. This was not to mention the bowl full of soda bread dough just waiting to be placed on the baking tray. Once out of the kitchen, he shook Trent awake, and guided his sleepy fiancé out of the door, and in the direction of the 'L' Train. They nearly missed the stop in Bushwick when they both dozed off, barely making out of the doors in time. Then it was back to the loft, to collapse side by side on the sofa, and both promptly fall asleep on each other. This was much to the amusement of Burt and Carole, who had arrived about an hour earlier. They had come to support their adopted son in his venture - neither Trent or Rory had even noticed them sitting in the kitchen, so exhausted were they both. A quick call to Santana later, accompanied by a photo of the two of them sleeping soundly on the couch, lead to a text informing them that the Irish food was selling spectacularly well; that the two boys had been in the kitchen for about ten hours without any real break; and that in terms of quantity, Rory's potato scones were outselling absolutely everything else. Both satisfied with this knowledge, Burt and Carole let the two of them sleep on for another two hours, knowing full well that Rory intended to repeat the whole escapade again the following day.

This he proceeded to do, but with Carole at his side at first. Trent was tired, and it was decided that he should come in a little later when Jeff did. Rory also found the time to explain to the regular chefs how the scones should be prepared in minute detail, much to their amusement. The soda bread was however, so simple that even a kitchen novice like Dave or Cooper could prepare it. Neither of them objected to that statement when it was repeated to their faces later. Instead the two of them saw it as a challenge, and promptly marched into the kitchen to make some, much to the amusement of Sebastian and Grace. Several large clouds of flour later, two loaves of bread were baking in the oven, and the two novice bakers were tucking in to an Irish Fry each, both their partners opting for the soup instead - although neither could resist the temptation to steal small morsels of food from the others plates. When their bread finally arrived, borne on a board by Jeff with due ceremony, they all had to agree that for a first attempt, they hadn't done too badly at all.

Then came the crucial moment when the first batch of potato scones not prepared by Rory were ready. The man himself judged, alongside Jeff - and they both agreed that they were more than adequate. Trent secretly breathed a sigh of relief, as it meant that he and Rory would not have to come in the next day at 5am to start making more. Those partners present all readily agreed that the potato scones could go on the regular menu - and that homemade soup would be a fixture too on cold winter days. Finally, it was suggested that all the constituent parts of the Irish Fry could appear on the menu at least on the weekend. It had proved very popular, and the expense of having to make a trip to the Irish butcher in Brooklyn was more than outweighed by the sales that they were obtaining.

After the weekend, Trent and Rory stayed in town, not wanting to miss the actual day itself. On that morning, they rose early and headed into Manhattan, and soon joined in the crowds that were gathering at the assembly point for the big parade on Fifth Avenue. They had been joined by Burt and Carole, and the four of them spent time wandering around the various groups. The moment that people spotted that Rory was wearing an Ireland rugby shirt, people wanted to talk to him, and ask him where he was from. The only thing that upset him was that when he introduced Trent as his fiancé, some people turned away. It was not a surprise really; attitudes took time to change, and this was after all the first year that an organised gay group had even been permitted to join the parade. Seeing the way that some people were acting saddened Trent, but it angered Carole and Burt. When she saw the small group gathered around a rainbow flag, she grabbed his arm, and pulled him over to speak to them. After a long conversation, she returned to find Trent and Rory, and asked them to follow her. After warm greetings, Rory was asked if he wanted to join the group as an honorary member - when he said yes, he was welcomed in, and promptly told that he and Trent would now have to join them on the actual parade. There was hardly a second of hesitation. Carole took a photo of the two of them as they set off and sent it to Séamus in Scotland, knowing he would be delighted for his brother. They proudly walked arm in arm the length of Fifth Avenue, even waving at the bishop on the steps of St Patrick's Cathedral as they passed. To their delight, he acknowledged them. All in all, it had turned out to be a very successful weekend.


	13. Left in an Alleyway

**Left in an Alleyway**

The success of the diner after their takeover meant that they could all afford to take a little step back. Michelle was more than competent as a manager. She had also quickly come to realise that now that he had finished his classes at NYU, Elliot would be a perfect candidate to come in on a full time basis, alongside Dani. She had also suggested to the partners that the two of them should take on more of a supervisory role, as they had both proven themselves to be more than capable. This change did not mean that the partners that were officially on the payroll had less responsibility when they were working; it just meant that they could get time off a little more easily than before. This was all the more true if they were able to be flexible in their shift pattern.

That was the reason that Jeff found himself hurrying straight from his morning class to the diner on the Friday after St Patrick's Day, his uniform stuffed carefully into his bag alongside his art materials. He had agreed to do a shift from noon until eight in return for having both Saturday and Sunday off. Nick also had the weekend off work, and although both of them had a mountain of coursework to get through, it did mean that they could enjoy a quiet Saturday night out. As Mike was also down to work until midnight on both weekend nights, it also meant that they would have the loft to themselves for a bit of couple time. Nick was working that evening, but once he returned home they would have two whole days for fun, laughter, and a combination of their work - Nick would be writing his essays whilst Jeff drew him. It was going to be like it had been before they had started school properly. On top of that, it was the first official day of Spring…

The problem was that no-one had thought to tell the weather the latter. As Jeff looked out at the snow falling heavily as he neared the end of his shift, he was glad that for once he had listened to Nick when he had advised him to wear his heavy winter coat, and take a scarf, hat and gloves with him. Other people did not have as sensible a husband, he thought, as he watched people hurry by wearing clothes that were completely unsuitable for the weather. The diner was full of people dressed like that, and they were now tucking into plates of soup or warming bowls of stew. Once again, Rory's potato scones were selling well, everyone wanting comfort food as the weather closed in on them, and they sought temporary refuge in the diner from the cold winds. Jeff had to admit that he was tempted to stay there himself for a while, but he wanted to get home and prepare something hot for Nick when he came home. He knew that compared to his husband he was hardly a great cook, but he could make a mean Mac and Cheese, with bacon through it, and if he got some potato scones to go with it…

So it was that just after eight, Jeff bade farewell to his co-workers at the diner, his uniform stuffed back into his bag and his own warmer clothes back on. He had purchased six potato scones and he had wrapped them up in the middle of his uniform. The snow had stopped for a while, but the wind was still blowing, and the temperature was much lower than it had been for the last few days. Jeff started to head towards the subway, moving as quickly as he could on the snow covered sidewalk, trying to put his gloves on as he went. He had succeeded in doing so and was trying to pull on his hat when he came to the mouth of an alleyway, and a sharp gust of wind suddenly hit him. His hat was torn out of his hands and blown up the dark alley to land beside a large dumpster. Silently cursing, Jeff made his was carefully up the alleyway. He was conscious that he was less than a block from another particular alley, and he didn't want to take risks…

The lighting was poor, but he could see that it was empty, and the fact that his footprints were the first to mark the snow that had fallen in the last few hours seemed to confirm that. He bent down to pick up his hat, and that was when he heard the noise. It had been faint, but it was there. He hadn't imagined it. There had been a tiny little miaow. He looked around, but could see no trace of a cat. He was just beginning to think that maybe he was mistaken after all, when the tiny sound came again, this time sounding all the more pathetic. He paused, and then realised to his horror that there was only one place that the noise could be coming from. He climbed up onto the thin ridge of metal around the base of the wheeled dumpster, and peered into it. There he could see a pile of garbage bags and broken down cardboard boxes; and sure enough, nestled on the top of one of the bags, a thin layer of snow surrounding it, was a tiny ball of tortoiseshell fluff. As he watched, the kitten miaowed again, before starting to shiver. At once, Jeff knew exactly what he had to do.

He knew at once that he could not leave it where it was - it had to be cold, and if it moved the wrong way, it would surely tumble down between the sacks of garbage and be lost forever. That last fact meant that Jeff also had to be very careful as he tried to get it out - if he spooked it, then it might easily take off from the spot it was lying in, and much as he wanted to help it, Jeff could not even hope to empty out an entire dumpster in search. So he moved gently and as quietly as possible. He considered if it was best to approach from behind, or from where he could be seen. He resolved in the end on a bit of both, leaning on the very edge of the dumpster to support himself. As he did so, he heard a slightly louder miaow and realised that he had been seen at last. "Hey little one. Don't be scared. I'm Jeff, and I'm going to get you out of here and take you somewhere warm. But you need to work with me on this, so please, just stay still for a moment." Whilst he was talking, he had carefully placed one hand behind the tiny form, so that it could not back away from him. He extended his other hand down towards the kitten carefully, all the time only too well aware that one wrong move could scare the tiny thing, or worse still, send him spilling over into the dumpster with it. He let it sniff at his gloved hand for a second, to reassure itself that he was ok. The kitten let out another pitiful miaow, but did not back away…

So it was that Jeff found himself with a handful of fluff. He was shocked at how thin the kitten was under its fur, at how much it shivered as he held it tightly in his hand. He was even more horrified that someone could have placed such a small and beautiful creature in the dumpster in the first place. Having picked up the kitten and managed to get himself back to a safe position on the ground, he now had to think about how he was going to transport it. He couldn't hold it in his hands all the way home to Bushwick - it just would not be practical on a busy 'L' train. Then suddenly it him - and after carefully shaking all the snow from it, he slipped the kitten into his warm furry hat, wrapping it up carefully as it miaowed at him. Then he transferred the entire bundle into his bag, placing it gently on top of his uniform, leaving just the kitten's tiny sweet face peering out at him. Jeff looked down into its tiny eyes, and smiled. "Ok, so time for us to head to your new home. I know that this isn't an ideal way to travel, but I wasn't expecting to be picking you up. We'll be quick, I promise you." With a last smile, he shut the flap over on the top of his bag, hearing another tiny miaow as he did so. Then he was off again towards the subway, moving as quickly as he could through the snow.

He was fortunate on his journey home. After carefully lifting his bag over the turnstile, to the slight bemusement of the staff member watching him, he made his way down to the platform, arriving there just as the train pulled in. The coach that he boarded was quiet and so he was able to take a seat, holding his bag carefully upright on his lap. The woman sitting next to him did give him a quizzical look as his bag let out a tiny little miaow every now and then, but Jeff was too deep in thought to pay his surroundings that much attention. He knew that he had to get the kitten some food; he knew that he had to persuade Nick - and Mike for that matter - to allow the kitten to stay; and even more importantly, he had to decide on a name. By the time he emerged back up into the street in Bushwick, that latter issue had been decided on. As far as Jeff was concerned, his new friend was called Caleb. He also knew which of his friends to turn to for advice on how best to care for him - after all, she had done a very good job with Lord Tubbington. He was walking past the little corner grocery when he remembered that he need to get him some food, so he popped in, and stood examining the small selection of pet food. He finally spotted a bottle of cat milk, emblazoned with a label that said it was suitable for kittens, and next to it a pile of small tins of kitten food. He only had a few dollars in his pocket, and his wallet was buried underneath Caleb and his uniform, so he grabbed one bottle of milk and two tins of food, and headed to the cash desk. The usual clerk was on duty and greeted him warmly, before pausing when she saw what he was buying. As if on cue, his bag let out a miaow at that point, and Jeff could only giggle. He lifted the flap and let the cashier see the tiny face enveloped in his hat. He watched as her face softened as she saw Caleb, and then she smiled right back. His purchase made, Jeff hurried out. He had dinner to make, and a small mouth to feed.

Once he was back in the loft, Jeff quickly realised that he need to find somewhere safe to keep Caleb whilst he prepared the evening meal. he could hardly hold on to a kitten and prepare a cheese sauce at the same time. He wracked his brain for a few moments, and then it hit him. He dashed into the bedroom, and pulled out the box that contained the new pair of boots that had been a present from Nick for Christmas. He had loved them from the moment that he had seen them in the window of the store before Thanksgiving. When Nick had handed them to him on Christmas Day - well he had shown his gratitude in the way that he felt was most appropriate. Now the same boots were placed in the bottom of the wardrobe, still swathed in the tissue paper that they had come packed in. The now empty box would be perfect as a temporary bed. He then spotted an old sweatshirt of his lying in the bottom of the cupboard, intended to be sent to the goodwill. It was soft, warm and therefore ideal to line the shoe box.

He hastened back to the kitchen, where his bag sat comfortably on the counter. Placing the now lined box on the surface next to it, he opened his bag, and was greeted with a miaow. He carefully lifted the tiny bundle out, and then removed Caleb from his temporary blanket, and placed him gently in the box. To his delight the kitten, after sniffing at the fabric, decided that it was suitable, and having padded the old sweatshirt, settled down on it. Once again, two tiny eyes stared up at Jeff, and then a miaow could be heard. "You're hungry, aren't you Caleb? I think a little drop of milk to start with…" Jeff dug in the cupboard and found a saucer, and poured a tiny quantity of the cat milk into it. Instinctively, Jeff decided to place some on his finger first, before holding the digit out to Caleb tentatively. His reward was a first cautious lick from a tiny tongue - and then a faster one. In the end, Jeff lifted him back out of the box, and placed him on the counter near the saucer. He watched as the kitten walked unsteadily at first towards the dish, and then smiled as he began to quickly lap up its contents. It did not take long for the saucer to be emptied - and the same was true of the tiny amount of cat food that he spooned out into a separate bowl.

Once he was finished, Jeff lifted Caleb back up into his box, and nearly hugged himself out of joy as the kitten curled up contentedly. Then and only then did he take his own coat off, and he began to work on his cheese sauce, whilst next to it a pan of boiling water had the macaroni pasta added to it. All the time he kept half an eye on the shoe box as the pasta boiled away, and he ensured that the cheese sauce did not curdle. Once the sauce was made and could be left to simmer gently, he set to work on frying tiny pieces of bacon. These he would add to the sauce after he had drained the excess fat away. He made a point of keeping some trimmings back for Caleb. Then he assembled the dish, adding the bacon to the sauce, and then the pasta, before transferring the whole thing to an ovenproof dish. He had already heated the oven, and so after sprinkling grated cheese liberally over the top, he placed the dish in the oven and left it to cook gently until his husband and Mike arrived home. Hopefully the dinner would help soften both of them to the idea of a new house guest.

The meal now ready, he turned his attention back to the shoe box, where Caleb was now fast asleep. He pulled out his phone, and sent a quick text. It seemed as if it had no sooner be sent than there was a quiet knock on the door and Brittany let herself in. She took one look in the box that Jeff was standing by, and her face lit up. "Oh Jeff, he is gorgeous. I take it that you checked?" Jeff nodded - it had not been the first thing on his mind when he had picked Caleb up, but there was no doubt. "It is so unusual for a tortoiseshell to be male, you know - I think it is something like 1 in 300. So, where did you get him?" Jeff proceeded to tell her the full story, and watched as at first her face took on a sad expression - and then started to redden with rage. "How could anyone do something like that!? He didn't do anything wrong! It is just so very lucky that you found him…." Jeff shuddered as he thought what might have happened if the wind had not snatched his hat out of his hands - after all, that dumpster would have been emptied by now….


	14. Caleb Sterling-Duval

**Caleb Sterling-Duval**

Jeff was brought out of his thoughts by two things - Brittany's hand taking his as she realised exactly what he had to be contemplating; and the sound of his husband talking to Mike as the two of them walked in through the front door, having met each other on the subway home. It was a timely arrival - the Mac and Cheese smelt more or less ready, and Jeff had to admit that he felt kind of hungry himself. He left Brittany standing by the box in the kitchen and hurried out into the hall to greet Mike and kiss his husband. Such shows of affection were normal for the two young men, and Mike smiled happily at them, before turning his cheek towards Jeff as they finished, as if to invite his own kiss. Nick laughed, whilst Jeff just shook his head. "One of these days, Michael Chang, I will actually kiss you when you do that. I'm sure that Nick won't mind."

Mike laughed, and replied, "I'm sure Tina wouldn't mind either. She'd probably think it was hot.." That set the three of them laughing. Coats were taken off, and Jeff hurried the two arrivals through to the table, which he had already set, and then went back into the kitchen to dish up. Brittany then made her presence known to the other two, and she was greeted warmly and invited to stay. She agreed, but declined the offer of food, as she had already eaten. Then Jeff came in, carrying three full bowls of the hot pasta, and a bag containing the six potato scones. They did not waste any time in eating, the three of them hungry after a long day. Jeff almost forgot about Caleb as they all listened to Mike describing the latest antics of some of his more eccentric classmates, and the sheer horror that was one of the instructors. Therefore when his husband decided that he wanted another glass of juice, it did not even occur to Jeff to offer to fetch it for him. Thus Nick stepped into the kitchen on his own…

He strolled slowly into the kitchen, still half listening to Mike's story as he went. He was pleased to see that the kitchen was actually reasonably tidy - often after Jeff had been cooking it did look as if a bomb had detonated. Indeed, the only thing waiting to be cleaned was the dish that the Mac and Cheese had been cooked in, and the spoon that had been used to serve it. Knowing that he was unobserved, he headed over to the dish and used the spoon to scrape out the last little morsels that remained - Jeff did make the best Mac and Cheese ever. He headed to the fridge and poured himself another half glass of grape juice - and then he paused. He had heard something, he was sure of it. A tiny sound that he had not expected in the kitchen. He dismissed it, but then he heard it again. He scanned the room, and then his eyes fell on the shoe box on the countertop. He frowned, and then walked over to it, peering into it. In the box lay a tiny form, which had just opened its eyes, and seeing him, let out another tiny miaow. There was a part of Nick that wanted to just head straight back to the table and pretend that he has seen nothing; just sit there and wait for the moment that his husband would come clean. He would in time, and Nick would not be angry at him. At the same time though, Jeff really should have said something straight away. It did also explain why Brittany was here, of course. Another tiny miaow made him smile. He had to admit, the kitten really was very cute…

He tore himself away from the box though, and went to stand in the kitchen doorway, his arms folded across his chest. He even managed to put on his most stern expression; not something that came easily to him if he were honest where Jeff was concerned. He stood there in silence for a moment, and waited for someone to catch his eye. It was Mike that did so in the end, and he promptly fell silent. Nick cleared his throat, and then spoke. "So, Jeff, is there anything that you need to say to me? Something to explain to me why there is a shoe box sitting on the kitchen counter…?" Jeff was out of his chair and haring over towards the kitchen door in a flash, as Nick had known that he would be. He himself had stepped back into the room to stand next to the box again, his glass of juice back in his hand. Right behind Jeff came Brittany, knowing that he would appreciate her support. Mike, however, sat at the table on his own for a moment, not wishing to be dragged into an argument - until he realised that whether he liked it or not, he would be as their roommate. He sighed, and picked up his own glass of juice, before making his way into the kitchen, where his three friends were now gathered round the counter.

"So, I'm listening," said Nick, as Mike walked in. "Tell me what is going on…"

"His name is Caleb. I found him left in a dumpster, Nicky! My hat blew out of my hand, and so I went to get it back, and whilst I was picking it up, I heard…" At that moment, Caleb added the relevant sound effect. As Mike closed in on his friends, intrigued, Jeff reached into the box, and gently took out a little scrap of fur, gently cradling it in his hand. That one glance was enough to have Mike falling in love. As another tiny miaow echoed around the room, Jeff continued. "He was lying on top of a garbage sack, shivering in the cold and surrounded by snow. He had to have been there for quite a while as there were no footprints anywhere around. So I brought him home. I couldn't leave him there, Nicky! He would have frozen to death, or worse, been tipped along with all the rubbish into the back of a garbage truck… So, Caleb is staying. I know that I should have told you the minute you came in; I know I should have asked you if it was ok - and you too, Mike - but I couldn't just abandon him then, and I won't now!"

"So if I say no, Jeff, we can't keep him…?"

Jeff took a breath, and then with a determined look on his face, he said, "Then I will take him next door and spend the night there with him - and then tomorrow I will see if Seb and Dave want a roommate. I will not let him down when he needs a warm, safe loving home, Nicky. I won't!"

Both Brittany and Mike looked absolutely stunned at the words that Jeff had just uttered and the vehemence with which they had been delivered. They turned to look at Nick, who was smiling. "It's just as well that I wouldn't even dream of asking you to give Caleb up then. He can stay, but only if, firstly, it is ok with Mike…."

"He can stay, he's adorable."

"…secondly, he is properly house trained, because he has already left a message on that sweatshirt, and finally, if the vet says that he is ok."

"Deal," said Jeff, grinning from ear to ear. "We can draw up a rota for cleaning up his litter tray. You won't regret this, Nicky, will he Caleb?" There was another miaow at that, and Nick could only smile as widely as Jeff.

After that, things happened rapidly. Brittany had an old bed of Lord Tubbington's along with a spare litter tray she could give them, plus some books on how to house train kittens. She headed off to get them, Jeff in tow. Mike volunteered to go out and get more of the kitten food and milk, but refused to take any money from Nick for it. He was wrapped up in his coat and back out of the door seconds later, leaving Nick alone with Caleb for the first time. He gently lifted up the shoe box and carried it through into the living area, then hearing the little miaows from the box increase in frequency, he went back into the kitchen, and picked up the bottle of cat milk and the little saucer. Gingerly he lifted Caleb out of the box, feeling for himself for the first time just how thin he was under the fur. He placed him on his lap, then balanced the saucer on one knee with a small amount of milk in it. He had guessed correctly that he was still hungry; as soon as he saw the milk, he darted towards it, and began to lap it up, his tiny tongue working overtime. When the saucer was finally empty, Nick placed it on the coffee table, and then just allowed Caleb to snuggle up on his lap. In just a few seconds, Nick heard a new sound - a quiet purr as a content kitten expressed his satisfaction at his new living arrangements.

"Ok, she was right; he is cute," said a quiet voice behind him, startling Nick for a moment, before he turned to look at Santana, a smile on her face. "I left your husband and my fiancée wrecking the house looking for an old cat bed; I didn't expect to come over here and find the two of you sat like this though."

"Well, as everyone says, he is cute, and tiny. If Jeffie hadn't found him when he did, well he wouldn't be alive now. I doubt the garbage men would have heard him miaow over the noise of their truck, and they certainly wouldn't have looked inside the dumpster before they…"

"What can I say…you are going to have this little fellow for a long time, isn't he Caleb?" At the sound of his name, the kitten looked up for a moment, then snuggled in once again. Nick could only smile happily, and barely heard the click as Santana snapped a picture on her phone. "I wonder what Tina will make of him - and more importantly, what he will make of Tina…" she mused as she forwarded the picture to Jeff's phone. After all, she would be around quite a bit too…

She was still standing there, watching Nick sitting there contentedly with the kitten in his lap when she heard the front door open, and Mike returned. He was carrying a large bag of kitty litter, a carrier bag stuffed full of cat milk and kitten food - and a toy mouse. Santana spotted it straight away and started to chuckle, attracting Nick's attention - for his part, he just raised an eyebrow. "Well, he will need something to play with, and it is filled with catnip, whatever that is…"

"Basically, from what Brittany tells me, it's a 'natural high' for cats," said Santana. Then, in her most scandalised voice, she continued "Nick, Uncle Mike is buying Caleb drugs! He is such a bad influence!"

"Ignore her Mike," said Brittany's voice as she stepped into the room, carrying a cat bed. "If anything, catnip is as harmful to cats as chocolate is to humans. Thanks to you, Caleb isn't going to go hungry for a while, and you bought the best brand of kitty litter."

As she finished speaking, Jeff staggered into the room, weighed down by a the litter tray, a stack of books, and a couple of other toys that he had been assured Lord Tubbington had grown out of. "He's purring," was all he said, as he put everything down on the coffee table. "He must like you Nicky."

"It's that, or the fact that I gave him some more milk," Nick laughed as Jeff crouched down by his side and gently stroked Caleb. With his free hand he pulled out his phone, and saw that he had a new message. He opened it, and his face suddenly glowed in delight.

"Awww. You two look so sweet together. So, we can definitely keep him Nicky?"

"I think that if I said no then I would be dead in moments. But… how could I ever say no to this little fellow? Of course he can stay. I guess we will need to put that photo on Facebook."

"No, not that one. You need a good photo," said Santana. "If you give me your phone for a minute Jeff I will take one for you. If you could hold Caleb up level with your faces for a moment - and maybe Uncle Mike could get in behind you?"

"Yeah, Mike, get in here," said Nick, as he carefully lifted Caleb up to the same level as his and Jeff's faces. "After all, you are going to be on litter tray duty too."

"That will be my pleasure guys," said Mike as he crouched down on Nick's other side, smiling happily. "I think I would do pretty much anything for that little one there." So the pose was made, and as Caleb let out a little miaow of protest, Santana took her photo.

The three of them were so content, Mike now gently tickling under Caleb's chin that they failed to notice that Santana was typing rapidly on Jeff's phone; then she handed it back over with the words "Posted it for you."

Almost at once, both Nick and Mike's phones beeped to indicate a Facebook update. Mike pulled his out and opened it up, then shook his head. He turned the screen on his phone round to show the other two what Santana had posted. There was no photograph, just the words 'We've adopted. His name is Caleb.'

"Please tell me you haven't," said Nick, suppressing a groan as both his phone and Jeff's suddenly exploded with noise from message indications. Nick handed Caleb over to Jeff, and pulled out his phone. He opened Facebook, and then began to read the comments that were being made about the short post on their joint page.

"Sebastian - **'WTF!'** ;

Trent - 'Is this a wind up? Has _Santana_ stolen your phone?' Smart cookie, Trent, as always;

Beats - 'Congrats, I guess. Flint concurs, but we draw the line at nappies';

Thad - 'Rushing it a bit - call me!';

David - 'Give them the phone back, Santana' ; and, oh no! -

My Mom - 'Nicholas Sterling-Duval! I am calling you in five minutes and you had better have a good explanation!'

Lopez, if you don't wish my mom to kill you, I suggest that you post that again, with the picture, now…"

Santana had no idea if Mrs Duval would kill her or not, but she was afraid from the looks on their faces that Niff might - and Mike would probably help. So she took Jeff's phone back and reposted with the words 'We've adopted! His name is Caleb. Jeff found him in a dumpster, and he likes us, so he is staying!' This time, the photo was right underneath it. There was a moment of silence after the post was made, and then Nick's phone once again began to buzz. He read out the new posts, this time with a smile on his face.

"Sebastian - 'Awww! Darn glad it isn't a baby.';

Trent - 'So sweet. Who on earth would put him in a dumpster!?';

Flint - 'We're not changing litter boxes either, btw.';

My mom - "Ok, no call necessary, but Skype me soon. Love to Caleb, he is beautiful'

Thad - 'Thank goodness for that - far too young to be an uncle yet.'

David - 'Mercedes says awww. Me, ditto.'

Puck - 'I want hugs, he is gorgeous. Whoever put him in a dumpster needs shot!'

Tina has sent a line of little hearts and happy crying faces… Well, Caleb, looks like you are a member of our mad little group now. Right now, though, I think that it is time you went to bed - because that is where I need to go."

At first, Caleb was reluctant to leave the comfort of Jeff's arms, and looked at the new bed that was being provided for him with distain. It did not seem right to return him to the shoe box, however, so in the end they took Jeff's old sweatshirt from the box and placed it in the bed. That seemed to change everything, and the little cat stepped in, had a good sniff around, and then settled down with a content look on his face. Moment later he was fast asleep again, leaving them all to tiptoe around him. Brittany and Santana said goodnight, and let themselves out quietly. Mike collected the plates from the table and began to wash up; Nick joining him to make some hot chocolate and to look out a box of cookies. Jeff meanwhile sat on the couch and observed the little friend that he had made that day. He had known, of course, that Nick would say yes, because he would understand what his request meant. Jeff after all knew exactly what it meant to be abandoned. The short period of time that he had spent in the orphanage after his father had dumped him there was still a chapter of his life that he did not like to speak about. In fact, only Nick knew the whole story - Jeff had told little bits and pieces to Wes in his freshman year, but only Nick knew about the nights - and days for that matter - that he had spent staring out of the window in tears. He too was the only one that knew how cruelly Jeff had been treated by the staff that were supposed to care for him. So it was obvious that when he was confronted by a small, lost, crying creature, he would not walk away. He could never have done it, not even if it had cost him everything else that he held dear.

He was joined by Nick and Mike, one on either side, and handed a mug of hot chocolate, along with some of his favourite cookies. "He is so small, Nicky. I hope that whoever dumped him like this is getting some sort of payback, because they really deserve it."

"I agree. What they did was wrong - but I do have some kind of idea as to why they did it… I was glancing at one of the books Brittany brought whilst I was making the hot chocolate, and it says that male tortoiseshells are very rare, and that they are usually sterile. So if Caleb and his siblings had been born to be sold, then…"

"He still did not deserve to be dumped, just because he is different - then again, both you and I know all about that Nicky…"

"Well," said Mike, changing e subject, "I think that he is very lucky, because he got to live here because of it. We will keep him safe, the three of us…"

"And Tina of course. I'm sure that she will be here to say hello any day now," said Nick with a smile.

"I think they all will be coming to say hello to him," said Jeff with a big smile.

Then it was finally time for bed. There was almost a fight - Jeff wanted to take Caleb into the bed with them; Nick and Mike both pointed out that it would potentially be dangerous for the little kitten, given that he or Nick could roll over during the night and squash him - and the idea of having the cat bed in the bed with them was another big no for Nick. In the end, Mike suggested a compromise; and so Caleb's bed was carried very carefully through to the bedroom, and placed on the bedside table on Jeff's side, so that he could hear him if he cried out in the middle of the night. As the two of them went to sleep that night, Nick could not help but notice that Jeff kept glancing over to the table. It only served to endear him to his husband all the more. It proved that if he loved something, he loved it with all of his heart and soul.


	15. A decision for Mike

**A decision for Mike**

Caleb slept all the way through in the end, and when he did wake up, it was Nick that heard the plaintive miaow. Nick got out of bed, and carefully picked the kitten up, and carried him through to the kitchen, placing him back in the shoe box for a moment. He put a small amount of food in the little bowl, and placed it in front of Caleb. He smiled as it was attacked with gusto, and then set about making the morning coffee. He was just about to go and wake up his husband when he ran in, heading directly for the shoe box. "Morning sweetheart," he said, as he gently stroked the still eating kitten. Nick cleared his throat and Jeff blushed, before turning towards him. "Morning, my beautiful Nicky. The bed was cold without you, and then I saw that Caleb was gone, and so I had to get up." Nick shook his head, placed some bread in the toaster, and then walked over to wrap his arms around him, placing a kiss on his cheek. If he had to share Jeff, then he was more than happy to share him with Caleb.

That weekend saw a large number of surprise visitors arriving at the boys loft. Rachel and Sam had arrived together early on that Saturday morning, and both of them fell in love with Caleb just as quickly as everyone else had. In the afternoon they sat down and had the Skype chat they had promised with Mrs Duval; Caleb was fascinated by the computer screen, and Nick's mom was enchanted by him from the moment he appeared, although she was less pleased with Jeff's suggestion that she was the little kitten's grandmother. Mike was not working that night, so Nick and Jeff still got to go out for the meal they had planned, but when they had finished, rather than hitting the club as planned originally, they came home, neither of them wanting to stay away from their new pet for too long. When they arrived home it was to find Mike lying on the couch half asleep with Caleb curled up sound asleep on his stomach. Nick just shook his head and smiled, whilst Jeff lifted Caleb carefully off of Uncle Mike, and placed him in his bed. Mike told them how he had spent the evening having a chat with Wes, who had popped in to visit him, and how Wes was so pleased that somehow Caleb seemed to know that he was there.

The next day it was the turn of Kurt and Blaine to arrive to see the new arrival, and to see if what Wes had told them about his ability to see angels was true. It turned out that it was. To nobody's surprise, the visitors kept coming - Artie, Kitty, Marley, Beats and Flint all just happened to stop by and say hello as the afternoon wore on. As each of them arrived, they were greeted with the words "Caleb is in here." Each of them had spent time looking down at the little kitten, who had greeted them all warmly, and had taken quite a liking to Artie's lap. None of them could stop themselves from smiling, as Caleb was, to quote Marley, "completely adorable." Their final visitor that day was Sebastian; Dave was at the diner for the evening, putting in one of his partner shifts, so Sebastian had invited himself to dinner with two of his best friends. Mike was also at work that evening - Nick had spotted that something was troubling him; he had been unusually quiet all weekend, and even more so since Wes had paid him a visit. Sebastian's company was therefore more than welcome, and they left him in the lounge with Caleb whilst they busied themselves in the kitchen preparing dinner. By the time they returned to Sebastian, he had Caleb sitting on his lap, and a smile of contentment on his face. "Ok, Jeffie, I think we know what to get Seb and Dave for a wedding present - a cat!" said Nick with a laugh.

"That would be ok," said Sebastian, "as long as it is just as cute as this one…" After dinner, he would produce a gift that he had brought for Caleb - a ball of yarn. It would transpire after they had all eaten and returned to the lounge that yarn was Caleb's favourite of all the little toys he had been brought that weekend.

As he sat on the 'L' train later that night, having finished his shift, Mike found himself deep in thought once again. He had come to one of those moments in life were he was confronted by a crossroads - he had to make a big decision. He had actually been glad of the distraction that first the unexpected snow storm and then the arrival of Caleb had created for him. He had pondered things on and off during the day on Saturday, and had been glad for the peace and quiet he had been afforded when he had offered to be a kitten sitter. He had been talking over things with Caleb - yes, it had got to that stage - when Wes had suddenly appeared. Mike was more than happy to see him, if he was honest. Caleb was a very good and attentive listener, but he seemed to have no real opinion to express. Wes on the other hand was his usual mixture of experience and wisdom. He was exactly the person that you needed to have around when you were having to make a massive choice; one which would direct the course of your life for many, many years to come.

After talking to Wes, he had become much more certain about the direction that he was heading. He still had the usual little doubts eating away at him inside his head, most notably of all the reactions that would come from Tina and his parents to the choice that he had more or less decided on. As the train rattled along that night, Mike decided that he would sleep on it, and then arrange time to have a private, undisturbed Skype session, firstly with Tina, and then with his mom and dad. The former would go along with any decision that he made, that much he did know; as long as he was happy with it, then she would be. His mother would be much the same - she had been denied her chance to pursue a career in dance, and she had always urged him to follow his heart, so yeah, she would support him too. His father was the one that worried him. He had not exactly been supportive back in his high school days; his choice would see Mike specialise in one specific field of dance, and that would be an issue for a man that had always told him to keep his options open. He only hoped that the fact that his dad was happy about his business investment in the diner would help to mitigate the full impact of what he had decided to do in his life. He knew one thing for certain though - his friends, and particularly his roommates, would have his back. In the end, their support would see him through any difficulties that might lie ahead.

It took all of Nick's powers of persuasion to get Jeff to go to his classes on Monday morning. He fretted constantly as they ate breakfast about having to leave Caleb on his own for most of the day. Nick pointed out that as long as they left him food and drink, and a safe area in which to explore, he would be absolutely fine. He assured him that in any case, he would have four angels watching over him from the sidelines. Jeff agreed, and quickly got ready, saying that he needed to head in just a little earlier than normal. Nick was not having any of it, and as Jeff went to head out the door, Nick stopped him, and extracted Caleb from his jacket pocket. "Honey, I know that you are worried about him getting hurt; but there are far more hazards at your art classes than there are here. You can't possibly hope to keep an eye on him all the time and work - you turn away for a second and he could be wandering off into a world of turpentine, paint and even hot wax. It is far better that he stays here, safely shut in, with a comfortable bed to sleep in, the litter tray there when he needs it, and no hazards."

Jeff nodded reluctantly, and then proceeded to spend the next five minutes checking out the space that Caleb was to be left in again, and then saying a long goodbye. In the end, Nick had to physically drag him out of the loft, force him along the street, and push him down the steps into the subway. "He'll be crying out for me!" Jeff muttered as he stood crushed in next to Nick amongst the sea of humanity on the rush hour train. Nick did not respond - he knew better. Meanwhile, back in loft, Caleb had returned to his bed, and was fast asleep, enjoying the peace and quiet after a hectic weekend. He was, after all, a very contented little kitten.

Mike had been the first to leave that morning, and he was the first to return. After he had made a quick check on Caleb (he had nearly a dozen messages from Jeff asking him to do so, so he took a picture of the still sleeping kitten, and sent it), he headed into the privacy of his room to place a Skype call to Tina. He usually did so on a Monday afternoon, as it was one of the few times that neither of them had a class to go to. After the usual warm greetings, he put on his serious face, and told her his big news. Her reaction was exactly as he had anticipated - she would back him in any decision that he made; but she did feel that the choice that he was making was the right one - as she said, if that was where his true passion lay, then he had to pursue the opportunity. The fact that she also told him that the idea of him doing it all the time would be pretty hot was no disincentive to him either. The serious business over, he was obliged to go and fetch Caleb, who watched the laptop screen with bemusement as Tina cooed at him from her dorm room at Brown. She announced that she would be coming to the city at the weekend - she knew that Mike would be working, but that was ok - she could just undertake a partner shift with him. Then she noticed the time, and with apologies, was forced to sign off, as she had a meeting with her tutor to attend. Mike smiled and blew her a kiss, which she returned before the screen went blank. With Caleb now sitting on his lap, Mike placed another call, this time to his mom. He hoped that she would be able to help him out by preparing his dad for the big news. Like Tina, she was more than happy for him, though she agreed that it might not go down as well in certain quarters. Then she spotted Caleb, and after many questions, she agreed that he was sweet, and that the person that threw him in the dumpster deserved to be locked up.

His calls made, Mike set to in the kitchen, and prepared a simple stir fry for himself and Jeff. Nick had a shift at the Law Library, and would eat there. 'Probably a pizza,' Mike thought, 'so nowhere near as healthy as this.' He had placed Caleb back in his shoe box on the counter, something that it would seem had become a permanent fixture. He could barely keep a straight face as he saw two tiny eyes following his every move. He had carefully taken some of the trimmings from the chicken and given them, one by one, to his little friend, who had devoured them all, and now sat purring contentedly. This did not stop him from miaowing as Jeff entered the room, as if he was starving with hunger. He was wise to it though, and Caleb had to be content with a saucer of milk as the two young men sat and ate their evening meal.

This then was the pattern as the week continued, although after that first day, Jeff was a lot less concerned about leaving Caleb alone. The little kitten was a quick learner it seemed; maybe he knew when he was well off - at least, that was the opinion of Nick. In practice, once they had realised that they were all visible to him, if not corporeal, the four angels had adopted his training to make him the perfect cat for life in the city as a task. They were the ones that instinctively knew when to direct him towards the litter tray, and could also scold him, albeit ever so gently, if he was about to do something he shouldn't. It all meant that there was a good deal of harmony in the loft as the month of March came to an end. This was even more evident after Mike had finally found the time to face up to his dad on Thursday night. To his shock, his father told him that this decision was his own to make; that he was sure that he would have investigated all of the pros and cons before coming to his decision, and that he had learnt that if his son was happy and healthy, he did not need to worry. In any case, he had made a wise investment for the future in a highly successful business. It had to be if it was about to be featured in _Vogue_. That gave Mike a start - he had heard a rumour that Isabelle had been considering writing an article, but now it seemed as if she had been true to her word, and they were going to be featured in that highly influential publication. He would have to quiz Santana about it later…

It came to pass that on Friday morning, Mike walked in to breakfast with an air of determination. He knew now that it was time to tell his two friends and roommates what had been going on. He paused on the threshold to watch the highly domestic scene; Jeff was feeding tiny scraps of bacon to a happy Caleb, all the time thinking that he was unobserved by Nick. His husband was watching with a wry smile, shaking his head at the fact that his other half thought he was being covert about it. Mike took a seat at the table, and was presented with a plate of toast and bacon by Nick as he sat down with his own. His glass was already filled with apple juice, and he could smell coffee brewing. He took a piece of bacon, and ate it, then cleared his throat to attract the attention of his friends. "Erm, guys, whilst I have you both here, I have an announcement to make. I have been dealing with something over the last week that is tied up to my college course. I had to make a big decision, and now that I have made up my mind, I think that it is only fair that you two, as good friends and roommates, should know all about it as soon as possible."

"You're not leaving New York, I hope?" said Nick, his face looking sad. "I mean if you have to, then Jeff and I will miss you very much, but we would naturally wish you well…"

"But we don't want Uncle Mike to leave, do we Caleb? At the same time, as Nicky says, if you have to, then you do," said Jeff in an equally sad tone.

"I'm not leaving guys. If that was to be the choice I had to make, then to be honest, it wouldn't have been a choice at all. I would stay here, with the two of you, and all my other friends. No, if you remember, when I transferred to Julliard, they asked me to take a course in a subject that I wasn't well versed in - classical ballet. I guess that the old Ohio public school prejudice about the idea of men in tights was stuck in my head. It was however a requirement if I was to transfer, and so it seemed such a small price to pay… It turns out that I am actually exceptionally good at it. So good in fact that my tutor called me in last week and asked me to consider making it my major next year. If they had asked me that last summer, then I would have said no. The fact is, I have come to like it. It is tough; it makes my muscles ache, and it challenges me. But I still love it. So after a week of discussing it with Tina, my parents and…"

"Let me guess - Wes?" said Nick with a grin. "That was why he was here on Saturday."

"Yeah. He just appeared, sat down and started to talk about it. He was the one that actually convinced me, if I am entirely honest. I was maybe 80% sure of what I was going to do before that. Anyway, they needed an answer from me today, and I am going to go in and accept. The thing is, it isn't just making it my major - if I am good enough, and they tell me I am, then there will be a very junior place waiting for me in the New York City Ballet when I graduate. Am I good enough? - I'm not so sure…"

"We are though, Mike - me, Nick and Caleb. You will get the place, you will be a star, and when you make it, we will be in the audience for your first big show," said Jeff, who was nearly bouncing about in his seat.

Mike smiled happily at the two men on the other side of the table. He knew that they were both being totally sincere when they said he could do it. He had known for a while now that he was very lucky to have them as roommates, because the love and care that they had for each other was always extended to the people around them. In many ways, he now felt closer to them than he did to his contemporaries from school. After all, Matt had been out of touch for some time; Puck was a good friend, but his work kept him busy; and much as he loved the girls, they didn't share a lot of his interests. Artie and Sam could always be counted upon for a good gaming session, but like him, they didn't have as much free time as they had back in Lima. Nick and Jeff had not only let him into their home; they had let him into their hearts. Plus he had his duty to Wes to look after them as he had promised him on the morning of their wedding…

"Hey Mike, you ok?" said Nick, breaking his train of thought. "You seemed to zone out there."

"Yeah, sorry, I was just thinking how lucky I am to have the two of you in my life. I can honestly say that my life now is the best it has ever been…"

"Aww, and we love you too, Mike," said Jeff, and after a miaow from the person in question, added, "and that goes for Caleb too…group hug?"

Before he knew it, Mike found himself wrapped up in Nick and Jeff's arms, a surprised Caleb against his chest. He laughed, and then pulled them in closer. Then he glanced up at the clock. "Err, guys, look at the time! Places to go…" With that, plates and glasses were being washed, the table cleared, and Caleb placed in his safe zone. Then it was off to another day of class for all three of them.


	16. Caught in the Act

**Caught in the Act**

Immediately after school that Friday, Mike was rostered for a shift at the diner. He found himself working with Sam, Santana and Brittany. He took the opportunity to reveal his news to them all and was delighted when a smiling Sam fist-bumped him, Brittany hugged him tightly, and Santana, being herself, made jokes about having to pop out and get him some pantyhose and a tutu. He would have been very worried if she hadn't done so. Ok, so he might have pirouetted in the kitchen for her a couple of times at her request too. He didn't mind, because he could see that she was very happy for him, and proud of what her friend had achieved. Telling the three of them also had the advantage of saving him from having to tell any of his other friends from the New Directions. Sam asked if he could tell Rachel, and between her and Santana, everyone knew in under an hour. He could only smile as his phone beeped with text after text of support; when they started to arrive from the Warblers, then he knew that Nick and Jeff had to have joined in. The one that surprised him most was the one that he received from Puck - he would have expected the same jokes as Santana had used, but instead he got a message that stated that he guessed the tights were no worse than the pants they had worn for football back in McKinley - and did that mean that a jock was the best thing to wear under them? Mike nearly laughed out loud, but he had to admit it was a very good question. That night just capped off a week in which everything was looking up for Mike…

Meanwhile in a bar near Princeton, two former Warblers were getting themselves ready for a very different kind of dancing. It had been ten weeks now since Preppy Boy had gone plural, and Flint still felt himself buzzing with a curious mixture of fear and excitement every time that he and Beats prepared for a show. He still laughed to himself when he recalled all the green room prep they had done as Warblers and how remarkably similar it all was to what they did now. He still had to check that his tie was straight, his blazer was neatly buttoned, his shoes were polished and his hair was neat before they went on. Ok, so now he also had to check that the Velcro on his trousers was working so that he could rip them off cleanly and neatly at the right moment, and that the tiny amount of stage makeup that he and Beats used, plus the glitter, was all on properly and looked right. He still could recall the quip that Thad had made at Niff's bachelor party before they went on - _"Now this routine might just have won us Regionals."_ That phrase for some reason gave him the confidence he needed to go on, to do his job. One which he hated to admit, even to himself, that he was enjoying more and more. Events that night would, however, take a turn that he had never anticipated, and bring him a lot of pain in the short term…

When he and Beats had walked in to the bar half an hour earlier, it had been busy, but nowhere near full. There had still been tables available for those that had wanted them, and no line at the bar. It all changed five minutes later when the doors burst open and a particularly raucous hen party had walked in, several of them already well on the way to drunk. They were young women in their twenties in the main, there to support their old school friend, the future bride. A handful of older women were in the party though; two aunts (the bride's mother had absented herself from what she was sure would be a vulgar spectacle) and some co-workers.

Amongst the latter was Mona Bernstein, the bride's boss. She had surprised everyone, including herself, when she had accepted her invitation to join the group, particularly as it involved a trip out of state. It did mean one important thing however - the recently divorced mother of two could avoid another Friday night dinner at her 'holier than thou' sister's. She was frankly sick and tired of being told that her marriage breakdown was entirely her fault; that her two children were troubled as a result of her actions. She was tired of hearing how wonderful her sister's only child was, with his good grades and his place at an Ivy League college. It was funny that her sister never mentioned his prestigious prep school in Ohio anymore, Mona thought with a smile, not since the big scandal that had erupted there after he had left. Still, all of that was left behind her, back in her home state of Kansas. Tonight she was going to enjoy herself, and not spare a thought, not even her usual pitying one for her nephew, for her sister, the perfect Sarah Wilson.

As Mona took a seat a little way back from the front, in a dark spot away from the bright lights of the stage, she chuckled inwardly to herself as she pictured her sister's face if she could see her now, about to watch a strip show in a gay bar in Princeton. The plan had been for them to go and see a revue show in Atlantic City, but there had been a fire at the venue the night before, and so it had been cancelled. This had prompted a hectic search for another venue. It was the bride's sister that had found this one - it had come up on the internet more than once, and all because of its strip show. It would be no bad thing to see a hunk or two stripping off - 'It has been a very long time since I saw that,' Mona thought as she sipped her drink. It was a coke, although no doubt everyone else in the group thought she had a shot of something in it. She had been tempted, but she had decided to stay sober. Someone had to, and in any case, there was always the risk that Sarah might call - and if she was drunk, her tongue might work loose a few home truths… it didn't mean that she was any less excited when the lights dimmed, and the P.A. asked them to give a loud welcome to the first of the acts - a guy in a cowboy outfit, much as they might have anticipated. He was, she had to admit, more than a little attractive; she might even permit herself a whoop at the right moments…

The cowboy was followed by a cop, who she admitted could give her a ticket anytime, and then a construction worker who - well she couldn't even bring herself to think about it, without feeling totally crude. These men it would appear were only the warm up acts to the stars of the show, at least from what all those around her seemed to be indicating. The number of people around the stage seemed to be growing by the second, although there was still a clear view of the stage from where they were sitting. The construction worker finished his act, and left the stage, but not before ripping his g-string off as he walked away, exposing his perfect ass to the appreciative crowd.

Once he was gone, the crowd began to chant something that she didn't quite catch. Suddenly the P.A. boomed "And now, straight from class, we give you, the one, the only Preppy Boys!" That seemed to set the crowd off in a frenzy of excitement. Her view was suddenly blocked momentarily as people surged towards the stage, as the opening bars of the Flo Rida song _Whistle_ were played. By the time the crowd cleared and her view returned, she could see that there were two young men on the stage - and so young that they were not much more than boys really - dressed in what could almost be a school uniform. She was almost embarrassed to watch - they could not be much older than her own son…and then she saw something. Suddenly she had a clear view of their faces. At first she thought that her eyes had to be playing tricks on her. But there was no doubt. It was him. One of the strippers was her nephew, Flint.

She sat there, frozen in her seat for a moment - and then she realised that she had to get out of the bar - and fast. It would be wrong, so very wrong, for her to sit there and watch as her flesh and blood, her nephew, removed his clothes and she knew that there would be no way that she could concentrate solely on his admittedly very attractive co-star, as the two of them kept swapping places in their excellent choreography. She got up and made her way swiftly to the safety of the restroom, her horror compounded by the fact that the rest of her group where by now making lewd comments and squealing as the two young men began to disrobe. Now, in the safety of a cubicle, she could sit down and allow her thoughts to gather. This was the very last place she ever would have expected to come across Flint. He had always been so shy, so quiet, so sweet, so innocent. There was a part of her that was wondering exactly what had happened in his life to make him adopt this new career. Maybe the scandal that had engulfed Dalton Academy the year after he left had its roots back in the time he was there. Maybe he had problems that his family were not aware of. All she did know, she realised, was that Flint Wilson was not the perfect Jewish son that his mother fondly imagined him to be. Her sister's family was not so perfect after all.

'Yes, Sarah,' she thought, 'I might be divorced, my daughter might be struggling at school, and my son might be in trouble with the police, but at least he isn't a cheap two bit stripper in a sleazy gay bar!' No sooner had she thought this than she chastised herself for it. She could never say anything about this, and she had to make sure for his sake that Flint did not find her here. It would be mortifying for both of them. She would act sick and excuse herself back out to the car. She exited the cubicle, and quickly washed her hands and face. Outside she could hear the crowd working itself into a frenzy as her nephew and his friend obviously finished up. She waited in the restroom for a few more minutes until the noise had died down, and then headed out to her left, back into the bar. Had she glanced to the right as she did so, she would have seen two young men, carrying bundles of clothes, heading back quickly to the dressing room. One of whom had glanced in her direction just as she stepped out, and had frozen momentarily. It was only for a moment though, as Flint instantly dismissed the possibility. His aunt Mona would never come to a place like this, and it was far away from her home anyway. His aunt had to have a doppelganger, just like the one that Blaine had in François Girard, Sebastian's Parisian friend…

The rest of that weekend passed off without incident. Although Mona did consider calling her sister, or better still her brother-in-law to request her nephew's telephone number, she decided not to in the end. It was a secret that would be better remaining hidden. She loved Flint, and actually felt sorry for him a lot of the time. If her sister had such unrealistic expectations about her and her family, she could only imagine what onerous ones she had laid out for her son. Of course, she kept telling herself, it was not necessarily him in any case - it could just be someone that looked exactly like him and just so happened to be living in the same place…

Curiosity got the better of her in the end, and after spending a few minutes on Google, she found herself directed to his Facebook page. She was not surprised to discover that there was absolutely no mention of his new career on his profile, but there was something else. There, amongst all of his other public photos was a picture of himself and his fellow Warblers at a wedding last year. On it was the evidence she needed to prove beyond a doubt that it had been her nephew. Standing beside him in the picture was his co-star from last night. She had no doubt about it. It had been him. Before she closed the page, she spotted something else which gave her cause to smile. There was another picture of Flint and his friend, and in it, both of them were sporting tattoos. That was something that her sister had failed to mention to her in all her long boasting sessions over the last few months. That was a little bit of information that she could carefully store away…

Flint meanwhile had a very quiet weekend. He caught up on all of his coursework during the day on Saturday, before he and Beats returned to the bar for another performance that evening. The money that they were both earning was fantastic. Flint had been worried that in joining Beats on stage, he would reduce his friend's tip money. In fact, if anything, the amount of money thrown at them by a grateful audience was more than double what he had received on his own. That did make it easier to ignore the lewd suggestions about what the two of them should do to each other on stage… Saturday was the quieter night that week, and he had to agree with the other guys that it was better without that hen party the night before. When he heard it was from Kansas, it did make him shiver, but no, it couldn't have been… On Sunday, the two of them caught the early train to New York to put in a shift at the diner, and to catch up with their friends. All in all, life was good. He had no reason to anticipate the disaster that would begin to unfold over the following weeks.


	17. Easter

**Easter**

The last week of March saw much being planned for the future. With college terms now over and everyone more or less on a break, it was the best chance by far that they had of organising a partner's meeting. The only person that would be physically unable to attend was Puck, and he had given Quinn full power to act as his proxy. As it happened, he was able to join them on the phone in the end. All of them knew that the diner had been doing well, with the combination of their Valentine's extravaganza and spectacular success of the events around St Patrick's Day. All credit for the latter was given by Michelle to a blushing Rory, who promptly said that he would not have been able to pull it off had it not been for the encouragement of his friends and the love and support from Trent. All of them were delighted to see that both the potato scones and the soda bread had made it onto the daily menu, and that with the support of the Irish butcher in Brooklyn, a full Irish Fry was available each and every weekend. Aware that many of the partners had not been around that weekend, Michelle had arranged for samples of all the food in question to be delivered to the table. No-one seemed to notice the look of horror Rachel had when the black pudding was produced; and when Rory told those that didn't know what was used to make it, nobody spat it out, all to their credit.

The discussion swiftly moved on to the upcoming month, and what they should plan for that. Tentative arrangements were made for the marking of Easter. Sebastian suggested that they should sell Hot Cross Buns, and Rory agreed. They all agreed that as he was undisputedly the best baker, Nick should source some recipes, and test them out. Nick nodded, but did look a little flustered at the idea; beside him, Jeff and Mike could only think of one thing - samples! Cup cakes with chocolate frosting and little chocolate eggs set on the top were a much easier ask. Then it was time for the main event, as Michelle pulled out the figures. There was a moment when they all held their breath, and then she put them out of their collective misery. They were doing very well indeed, the figures far better than any of them had anticipated, and that was after the extra costs they had incurred in staffing. It was Artie that made the next suggestion, and it was backed in seconds by Kitty, Quinn, Trent and Flint. The only question was how much it would cost, and Michelle was quickly making a calculation or two. When she brought back the result, there was a debate, but only a brief one. The result was that all the staff that were not partners, excluding Michelle, were to be given a 10% pay rise; those that were partners were to be given a 5% rise. To their credit, the five people involved had declined to take a pay rise at all, as had Michelle, and it was only when the latter insisted they take one that the compromise was agreed. It was also agreed to seek out two new duty managers to assist with the running of the business, particularly as they were approaching exam season, and Michelle could not be on duty 24/7.

Santana had two people in mind for the role already, and as it happened, both of them were on duty. Nick and Beats volunteered to head out and provide cover, and to send them in to join the meeting. When they arrived, the first thing that Michelle did was inform them about the pay rise - it had already been agreed that Nick and Beats would inform the other staff on duty about it. Then Santana spoke. "We all also agreed that we need to have more duty manager cover. With one thing and another, Michelle is doing a heck of a lot, and although she is more than happy to, we all think that she needs to have more time away from here to relax. We have also all agreed that the new duty manager positions should be full time ones. Based on the current rosters there are already two experienced members of staff working those hours, and we would like to give them the jobs…. So Dani, Elliot, would you consider taking on the added responsibility of being duty managers?"

There was a moment of silence as the two people in question looked at each other, and then nodded. "I would love the job! This is the best job by far that I have had since leaving NYU, and it came to me at just the right time. I love working here with all of you, people I consider to be friends, not just bosses; and I am so happy that you trust me enough to consider me…" said Elliot before he stopped to wipe at his eyes.

Dani smiled, and put an arm around his shoulder, before saying "Ditto for me. This place feels like home. It is warm and welcoming, and I would love to play a bigger part in taking it from strength to strength."

"Then I guess that means you two are hired," said Santana with a grin. "We will need to sort out a few things, but we are all agreed…" There was a series of nods, and even a "Yeah!" down the phone from Puck. Dani and Elliot returned to work with a pay rise and a promotion. If that meant that a few minutes later, Beats caught Elliot crying happy tears by the serving hatch, then it was all well and truly worth it. He soon found himself wrapped up in a tight bear hug by the beat boxer, a move which left both of them convulsed with laughter, and Elliot looking at Beats with a big smile as he walked away.

The weekend of Easter quickly came and went. Nick had found and perfected a recipe for Hot Cross Buns the previous weekend, and both of his roommates had approved them. He had not been content however to stop at the more traditional variety, and had created two additional types that they could sell alongside - one with apple and cranberry, and the other with chocolate chips and fudge pieces. It was no surprise to anyone that the latter proved to be a favourite of Jeff's, given his well known love for a chocolate chip cookie. So it was that three varieties of the Easter bun went on sale at the diner - and like Rory's potato scones before them, they were a massive hit.

Not of course that Nick and Jeff were actually there to witness it, as they had taken a trip up to Vermont to see Jeff's extended family. This time they decided to drive the whole way in a rental car, with Caleb in a newly purchased carrier strapped tightly into the back seat. As had been the case, the young kitten attracted a whole new set of admirers in Vermont. The one surprise for the happy couple was that this time, Duncan was absent - he was back in Ohio with his parents, spending the holiday with his paternal grandparents. This lead to a much quieter and despondent Luke, who lamented that his older brother Dylan, staying in his new apartment in Westerville, would be able to see more of his boyfriend than he would over the Easter break. He did cheer up when he got the chance to talk to Duncan on the phone, and whenever Jeff saw him looking particularly down, he took Caleb over to see him. The antics of the little cat, particularly out in the garden made them all smile.

Luke reported that Duncan was sorry to have missed seeing Nick and Jeff on this visit, and lamented too that he had not had the chance to meet Caleb - the video he had been sent of Luke with Caleb climbing all over him had made him laugh. Still, Duncan had said, he would soon be able to see them all the time, so it wasn't all bad. There was a moment of silence after that admission was made before Luke announced that both he had Duncan had been offered a place at NYU, and as long as they did not mess things up at school, the two of them would be moving to the city in a few months time. Both halves of Niff had been expecting this, of course, but now that it was actually happening, it seemed so strange, not least because Jeff would feel at least partially responsible for the welfare of the two boys - and would feel it was his job to keep them as safe as he could for a young gay couple exploring life in the Big Apple. The prospect of having to take on that role did scare Nick. After all, when they arrived, he would be just about to turn 21; Jeff would still have another month to go before he reached that grand age. Still, there were other people out there younger than them with children of their own. He hoped that he and Jeff would be in that position one day, but that level of responsibility could wait a while yet - at the moment, caring for a kitten and two teenage boys would be more than enough.

That year, Easter also happened to coincide with Passover. For Rachel, the holiday meant quite a bit - so much that she had negotiated the holiday weekend off - more or less; she had to work on the first night, but she left both Saturday shows and the Sunday one to her understudy. Sam had also taken the weekend off from the diner, so that he and Rachel could spend some time together. That notion had Santana rolling her eyes, and she had scheduled herself and Brittany to work long shifts all weekend, so that they could have some time away from the 'horror of Samchel' as she put it, and only slightly jokingly. Puck had no option but to work, although he was given time off to attend religious services - and for the first time in his life, he actually did so willingly.

In Princeton, though, Flint and Beats still had shows to perform. On the Friday night though, Beats insisted that he stayed at home; he told their boss that Flint had food poisoning, whilst back at home, Flint quietly observed the rituals of the holiday. In the middle of his quiet evening, his mother called, lamenting the fact that he had not headed home for the holiday. As the conversation went on, Flint realised how adept he had become at ignoring her more probing questioning. He secretly wished that he was in New York, enjoying the company of his friends; he was glad that he wasn't at home in that other Manhattan, his home town in Kansas. He thanked his lucky stars that his father's work had forced the family to relocate to Ohio at the crucial time that he had been due to attend high school. Without that, he would never have attended Dalton; and his life would probably have been very, very different, and probably much worse. As his mother droned on about the 'nice daughter' of another one of her friends from the synagogue, he sighed. Yes, he did want a nice girl, but one of his own choosing, not hers. For him, she did not even have to be Jewish, which seemed to be a major consideration for his mother. He knew that one day his entire relationship with his mother would explode. He had already almost had that massive fight with his mother the day that she had found about his bird name tattoo. It was bound to come to a head again, and he had an uneasy feeling that day would be sooner rather than later. When it did, he did not think that anything his father could say would be enough to calm either of them down.

What he did not know that night as he gave his mother the answers that she wanted to hear, was that the fight in question was just over a week away…

High above them all, in a heavenly New York, Easter had been a special time for four angels too. There was, of course, an obvious reason as to why there were a lot of celebrations, but that was not the only reason for the festive atmosphere. It was hard to comprehend, but Finn had now been in heaven for nearly two years, and his dedication, hard work and good service had been noticed. He had been made a leader of sorts, all be it a very, very junior one. His promotion meant that he was now authorised to take charge when more than one angel was needed, albeit only for very small events. His team consisted of two people - Kurt and Blaine.

Wes kept himself busy in assisting Elizabeth most of the time, and she had to admit that he was far more in control of his work and his emotions than she had been in her first year as an angel. Her small department had always been organised, but now it had been transformed into a model of efficiency. She found that Wes was always at his desk before she even arrived in the morning; when she went to her desk, there would be a coffee waiting, made just as she liked, with a Danish pastry beside it more often than not. At night, she had to force him out of the office. His desk was always kept clear of clutter, apart from two photos - a group one of his Warblers, and one of Thad. She did worry about him, even though he told her not to. She knew that he still had days when all he wanted to do was cry, but she didn't interfere, and left him to manage the grief he still felt in his heart in private. She respected his decision to keep more of a distance between himself and his friends; it worked for them all, and it seemed to work too for Kurt and Blaine, who had decided to follow his example. It was a good relationship for them all; in the case of Wes, David and Thad had stopped turning to Wes for advice first, and now sought each others. His decision to visit Mike had been a rare one, but Wes could see that the boy needed him. He could always tell even now when they really needed him…and now, with Easter past, Wes had an uneasy feeling. He could sense that trouble lay ahead. He could almost smell it in the case of Flint - and he was getting a sense that something lay ahead for Cooper too; that he was in for an unwelcome surprise. He said nothing to Blaine though about the latter, because after all, there was nothing they could do. As with everything else in the earthly realm, there was nothing an angel could do but watch, and hope…


	18. Blame it on the Alcohol

_To all those of you still reading - thank you. My apologies for not posting as frequently as i'd like, but had a bit of writer's block, and didn't want to leave you all waiting for weeks without a new chapter. Things are going well just now, so might be able to up the regularity... Oh, and the new title image might just be Jeff's little friend Caleb..._

 **Blame it on the Alcohol**

The final day of Passover came, and Flint quietly acknowledged it in his own way as he prepared for another show at the bar. He and Beats had begun to work on some new choreography that week - there was far more to stripping after all than just ripping off clothes, bumping and grinding. It was starting to come together and look good, and he was sure that the patrons of the bar would love it - after all, it was just a tad more homoerotic than what they were doing now. Just a little, not too much. It had been Beats suggestion, and Flint had gone along with it. It wasn't uncomfortable to either of them to bring their faces a little closer, to let their bodies touch albeit very briefly. If people decided to read things in to it, and gave them bigger tips as a result, then so much the better. Flint was sure of his sexuality, and anyone that could see the way that he flirted with a young lady in the audience from time to time would confirm that. He checked the time, and realised that he had been dwelling in his thoughts for too long. He turned to Beats, and started to help him with his make up for the stage. They would be back on again in just a few minutes…

Nearly 1300 miles away, in the comfortable lounge of Sarah Wilson's home, the celebrations for the end of Passover were a far more traditional affair. The whole of her extended family had been invited, and the only thing that had spoiled it, in her eyes at least, was the fact that her son was not home in Manhattan, Kansas, as he should be. She had made up for this absence by spending the entire evening telling everyone over and over how well he was doing; how proud she was of him; how she had found him the perfect girl to marry. In one corner of the room, her sister Mona sat with her fourth - or was it fifth - glass of wine, getting increasingly tired of hearing ad nauseam about the 'Golden Child' that her nephew appeared to be. Her own children had declined their invites - which she was fully aware had been grudgingly given in any case. Her son's exact words to her on the subject still rang in her head - "I would rather be castrated than have to endure another Flintfest whilst eating the world's worst matzo balls." She could quite happily have joined him in being absent…

Suddenly, her mind shifted back to the room. She realised that her sister was telling everyone that the only reason that Flint was absent was because he was studying so hard; and that was down to the fact that he had always had a stable home, with happily married parents - and that was how he had not ended up as a delinquent waster like so many boys these days… Mona knew at once exactly who that remark was aimed at. It was her justifiable anger, and the several glasses of wine that she had drunk that caused her to lose her filter, and blurt out at the top of her voice "Really, Sarah? My dear sister, my son might not be perfect, but at least he isn't a tattooed gay bar stripper like your precious Flint…."

The silence that descended over the room at that moment was total. Everyone froze in absolute shock. Mona immediately regretted her outburst, but it was too late - the genie was well and truly out of the bottle. She look up and saw her sister glaring at her as if she had personally committed every single murder in the history of the world ever. Behind her, she could see her brother-in-law standing, and in his eyes she could see reproach, but also a degree of understanding. He had, after all, stood witness to the years of abuse that his wife had verbally inflicted on her sister. But there was no forgiveness in his eyes either. She had just sent his son to the lions after all - now he would be the one that was going to suffer. Mona could see Flint's face now in her mind, and she knew that if she was him, there would be no possibility of any kind of forgiveness for what she had just done. Why had she done it, and why tonight, with the whole family present in the room? If she had said it in front of just his parents, then she could have blamed it on an excess of wine. That line would not wash with so many witnesses present. She looked around at their faces, and suddenly noticed that her brother's face looked a lot less angry than everyone else's; it would appear that he was more than a bit pleased to see his big sister finally knocked off her pedestal.

As Mona sat there in shock, she became dimly aware that around the room, excuses were being made about the time; the other guests were starting to leave and her brother-in-law was seeing them out. Her sister remained frozen in her seat, not moving a muscle. Suddenly Mona realised that her brother was at her side - he bent down and whispered in her ear "Been nice knowing you, sis - good luck!" and then he too departed, leaving the two women alone in the room, sat there in a loaded, dreadful silence. Meanwhile, Frank Wilson, having seen all of the guests out, stepped outside himself, pulled out his cellphone, and dialled his son. He was going to need all the warning that he could get about this one.

"Why?" That one word was what broke the silence between the sisters. "Why did you come out with such nonsense? Did you deliberately set out to ruin my party out of jealousy!? Just because your family has fallen apart, there was no need to slander my son!"

"I saw him, Sarah! I saw him, with my own eyes. One of my staff is getting married, and I was invited to her hen party. It was in New Jersey, and we ended up in a bar in Princeton. He was there, on the stage, in a uniform a heck of a lot like the one that he wears in all of those endless school photos that you bore everyone to death with! He was there, taking it off, with another boy dressed the same way at his side. I didn't watch - I ran to the restroom, but from all the publicity at the bar, and on social media, it would appear that your son and his friend are the stars of the show…"

"I refuse to believe that. My son would never stoop so low. Your son, maybe, but not my Flint! As for tattoos…"

"He has one on his left shoulder. Name of a bird. Can't recall what it is, but there is a photograph of him on Facebook showing it off. So don't try and tell me that it isn't true, Sarah! I do regret doing what I did, but not because it ruined your precious party. I regret it because I know what this will mean for Flint. I am sorry for the anger and pain that you will now unleash on that poor boy." She unsteadily got up on her feet, and opened her purse to find her phone - in doing so she spotted the card that she had been given at the bar in Princeton that night, before she had known that Flint was there. She took it out and threw it on the table in front of her sister. "Here. This is the bar that he works in. It's a Saturday night, so he is probably on duty now. Call him - at least then he will have the option to run for the hills when they tell him that his mom is on the phone and wants to speak to him." With that parting shot, Mona left, stopping only to apologise to her brother-in-law as she passed him on her way out.

Timing, they say, is of the essence. In this case, Frank Wilson's had been spot on. Flint and Beats had just stepped back into the dressing room when the Flint's phone began to ring. When he saw the word 'Dad' displayed on the front of it, he was relieved, but at the same time a bit confused. He had been expecting a call from his mother at some point - that was inevitable; but to get a call from his father's cellphone was unusual to say the least. He grabbed for it, accepted the call, and said "Hey Dad! How are you?"

"Worried to be honest - and I need you to be too. Your aunt Mona finally snapped tonight - we both know that has been coming for a while - but she ended up saying something that she now deeply regrets. Something about you…" At those words, Flint felt his blood turn cold. His heart suddenly seemed to be beating twice as hard in his chest. What he had imagined he saw two weeks earlier came into his mind. He knew now that it had been her; that she had seen him, knew everything, and now had told his mother in anger. He slumped down onto the floor, Beats instantly at his side. Suddenly, his father's voice was back - "Son, I need you to be honest with me - is it true?"

In a shaking voice, tears starting to prick his eyes, Flint replied, "Yeah, it's true. There are reasons why - good ones. I'm so sorry, dad, but like the tattoo…"

"You don't regret doing it. Ok, I'm sure that I might understand why when you explain. Out of interest, your aunt said…"

"It's a double act, and yes, it's Beats…"

"I figured as much when she said you had a friend… Tell him that I said hi. And to get ready, because son, we both know that any moment now, your mother is going to explode…"

Explaining that he had best go and try to talk to his mother, Frank hung up, leaving Flint slumped down in the same spot. By his side, Beats settled down with a sigh. "Ok, so what's going on? Is it bad news - oh, Lord, please tell me that someone else isn't dead…" Flint looked at his friend for a moment, then started to laugh, which surprised the other man. When he calmed, Flint spoke.

"Oh dear, dear, sweet naïve Beats. Nobody is dead, at least not yet. Give it a little while though, and we might both wish that we were. It is far worse than that… Do you remember how I told you that I thought that I had seen my Aunt Mona in the restroom corridor two weeks ago, and you told me, and I quote, "that I wasn't in Kansas anymore, and she was." Well guess what, Toto? She was here! She knows all about us and the act…"

"Ok, that's a problem - but from what you've always said about her, she is pretty cool about things."

"Yeah, she is; but she is always being put down by my beloved mother, and tonight, she finally snapped…"

Beats looked at Flint with curiosity at first, and then he realised what he was saying. "We're dead, aren't we? She told your mother what she saw, didn't she?"

"Yes, she did, my friend. So as I see it, we have two options - firstly, if we leave now then we might be able to get to the airport in time to get a flight to somewhere that she won't find us before she gets here. Maybe Europe - doesn't Sebastian have a friend in Paris? Maybe we could go and stay with him, because she could track down Ethan and Drew… Second option - we change our identities, or something…"

Beats looked at the panic stricken expression on his friend's face, which was unnaturally pale. He shook his head, and put an arm around his bare shoulder. "You forgot option three, and the one that I favour. We stay, and we deal with it. I think that it is time that you faced up to her; you can't keep letting her rule your life. You know that what I am saying makes sense…"

At that moment, one of the bar staff knocked on the door of the dressing room, and spoke through it "Hey, Flint, there is a woman on the phone that says she is your mother. Sounds hysterical…"

"And so it starts," Flint whispered to Beats. Then he raised his voice, and replied to the barman "Tell her that I will call her later - after I have finished the rest of my act." He turned to Beats, and found his best friend grinning at him. This was going to be tough, but Flint knew he could make it, as long as he had his best friend at his side.


	19. Confrontation

**Confrontation**

It was two hours later that Beats and Flint finished up, and made their way home. As Beats drove, Flint finally checked his phone, which had been ringing constantly for nearly the same length of time, each time with the word 'Mom' on the caller display. As it began to ring out again, Beats suggested that he should look into getting a separate ring tone for her in future. "The music from the shower scene in _Psycho_?" said Flint, half a smile on his lips. "It would be the most fitting. You know, I am dreading opening my voicemail, because if I know her, she will be leaving an increasingly hysterical message every time that she calls. Just be grateful that she doesn't know your number, or your phone would be in meltdown too. So, now that we have decided that we aren't going to flee the country, I guess that I need to consider exactly when I am going to face her. Do you know, it is at moments like these that I really miss Wes. He would know exactly what to do about her."

They pulled up outside their apartment, and headed in. They were barely inside the door when a familiar voice said "You just need to be honest with her, and tell her exactly how you feel." Flint looked up as Beats chuckled, and saw Wes standing in front of him. He stepped over and enveloped his angelic friend in a hug, which was instantly reciprocated. "She might not like what you have to say to her, Flint, but for the sake of your own sanity, it is what you have to do. You have to be yourself. She might not like the choices that you make, but as long as you are happy, then does that really matter? I personally think that what you have done to support Beats is pretty darn special." With that Wes let go of Flint, and stepped over to pull an expectant Beats into a hug too.

"You're right, Wes. I do need to stand up to her - and seeing as she is ringing me again right now, this is just as good a time as any!" He grabbed his phone, and accepted the call. He knew it was best to hold the phone away from his ear at first, and this was justified as a tirade of words poured from the speaker, the volume shocking both Beats and Wes. Flint waited until the shouting had died down, and then with a look at the expectant faces of his two friends, he spoke. "Ok, mom, I didn't actually catch a single word of what you just screamed at me there, but that doesn't matter; if I am being honest, I knew exactly what you would say to me when you found out. I know that you have, because you did call the bar. That was risky - imagine that the Ladies Club find out that you have been calling a notorious gay bar in Princeton… Ok, mom, I want you to actually shut up and listen to me for once. Please try, just this once, or I will hang up and ignore you again. First off, I really do not care if you do not approve of what I am doing. I am happy, and that is all that matters to me. That's all that should matter to you too if you really love me! So, here's the deal, which you can take or leave. I am twenty-one. I am an adult. I am not perfect. I will marry a girl that I choose, when I choose - and I am telling you now that Bernice Rubens is not that girl. So don't call again if you are just going to criticise. Just accept that I am not your little boy anymore. I am a man, and from now on, I will make my own decisions for my own benefit."

Both Beats and Wes looked at each other; indeed Wes was quietly counting down in anticipation of what they both knew would be coming next. Flint was also well prepared, and held the phone well away from his ear. As all of them had anticipated, the air was suddenly filled with a stream of noise, most of it along the lines of "Don't you dare talk to me like that, Flint Abraham Wilson!"

"Abraham?" said Beats; this was new to him - he had been friends with Flint for well over five years and had never known that he had a middle name; Wes of course had known all about it, and just shrugged his shoulders.

Flint was just sitting there, hardly bothering to listen, until his mother ran out of breath. His face had begun to grow more and more florid as she went on, and when the torrent finally died out, he spoke again, in a voice dripping with venom. "Finished, mother dearest? Good! I will say this only once, so for once, just listen. I no longer care what you say. I will do what I want, when I want, and how I want from now on. If I wish to take up the offer that I have had to make a film with my fellow strippers, then I will. I believe that the correct term for it is gay for pay these days. Maybe then, when I am a porn star, you will stop constantly bothering me about marrying one of your ugly friends equally ugly daughters! I'll make sure to send you a copy of all of my films - maybe even some autographed stills for your precious family album. Or maybe, just maybe, if you leave me alone to live my life in the way I choose from now on, I will continue to say no to them. It is your choice. Goodnight mother - and actually, do you know what - Goodbye! Don't call me. Leave me alone. I have had enough!" With that, Flint hung up, switched off his phone, and promptly burst into tears.

Beats immediately stepped up and pulled his friend into a tight hug, tears rolling down his own cheeks. "I think we need to get you to bed, my friend. You've had a long day," he said quietly, and Flint nodded, sniffed a few times, and swiped at his eyes. Wes nodded to them, and watched for a moment as the two of them headed out of the room. As they did, he heard Beats say "So, would you really do that, just to spite your mother…?" and Wes could not help but chuckle.

Wes left, and returned to his apartment in heaven, letting himself in through the door from Eighth Avenue. As he rode up in the elevator to the top floor, he pondered the issue that had arisen that evening. It had been coming for years, he supposed. Even back in the days when Flint was a pupil at Dalton, his mother had been such a frequent caller to the school that the school secretary had suggested, only partly in jest, that they have a separate line installed for her, so that she would be far more easy to ignore. There had been calls about religious observance, the food, even the type of music that the Warblers were singing. Wes himself had been the recipient of a dozen letters on that subject alone. He had tried at first to respond to her criticisms and comments politely, but firmly; but when they kept coming - on one occasion he had received three letters on the same song in the same post - he had passed them on to Principal Carmichael. He had ignored the suggestion from both David and Thad that he should report her to the police on the grounds that she was harassing him. He had never mentioned their existence to Flint, and had sworn his two fellow council members and the Principal to secrecy. That the day had finally come when she would push her son to far was no surprise to Wes; that it had actually taken so long was the big shock. Now at the door to his home, he let himself in, and set about making himself a coffee. It was late, but he would have no problem in getting to sleep.

He had just poured himself a mug from the machine when he heard a knocking at the door from Dalton. He knew exactly who it would be at this time, and so shouted "Come in Finn." He couldn't help but smile as the door opened and the man in question stepped in. "Kurt and Blaine busy with 'married stuff' I take it?" he said as he found a second cup and poured his friend a cup of java.

"Yeah… Elizabeth insisted that I take tonight off, so I thought that you and I could hang out, but…"

"How long have you been sitting outside the door?"

"Only about 30 minutes or so, I guess. I knew that you would come back sometime, so I thought I'd just wait."

"Sorry about that…"

"It's no problem, dude. Warbler emergency of some kind, I take it?"

"Yeah, another parent causing ructions, trying to control the life of their now adult child. I often think though - would I have been any different as a parent? I mean, who doesn't want the best for their child?"

"I think that you would have been a cool dad. Unless they were about to go and do something really stupid, and then you would have intervened for their own good…"

"Well," said Wes with a sad sigh, "I will never know now."

"Nor me. I would really have liked to be a dad, you know."

"You'd have been good at it. Kurt once told me that you did think you were going to be one once…"

"Yeah….a long time ago. But I was too young then, far too young. We all were. But still…" Wes looked up and saw a tear in Finn's eye; he was fully aware that he had one in his own.

There was a momentary silence, as both young men looked at each. Finn took a sip of his coffee and smiled happily, glad that Wes knew exactly how to make him a perfect cup. He put the cup down, and swiped at his tears, but with little success. Then again, it didn't matter - he knew that this subject brought out the same response in both of them.

"I used to imagine," said Wes, in a soft voice, "a future in which I had two children. It was always two, always a boy and a girl. I saw myself sitting in the park, watching them play, Thad at my side… That was just one of the things that I cried over the night I realised that my time on earth was up. But, would it have happened, and if it had, would I have been a good father? Who really knows…."

"You would have been a great dad, Wes, because in some ways, you already were - well, more of a very wise big brother, I guess. The Warblers all looked to you when they needed advice, or comfort. If you had died, and had just been gone, would any of them have been able to step up and take over that role for the group?"

Wes sighed, knowing that Finn was right, and then spoke. "The drama tonight between Flint and his mother - it isn't over; if anything, it has just started. She knows where he is working, and what he is doing; she knows that he isn't working alone, and for all her faults, she is more than smart enough to work out that the only person that he would be working closely with would be Beats. It wouldn't be too hard for her to find out his contact details; someone, somewhere will let them slip, and then his parents will no doubt be informed of what their son is up to. I can't imagine that they will be overjoyed about the situation either… I think that I need to speak to Thad tomorrow; tell him what has happened, and actually let him deal with all of this. I made him Head Warbler in my place, and as such, he has to take some responsibility, like I did, for the welfare of those boys; sort out all of their little, and not so little, disasters. This one will be a big test for him, I admit. Personally, I think that it would take a minor miracle to reconcile Flint and his mother right now. At least Mr Wilson seems to be on Flint's side, although he is kind of stuck in the middle."

"Poor guy. If his wife is as bad as you are making her sound, he is actually going to be the one that suffers the most here. I know how bad it used to be when I got caught up in the fights amongst the New Directions…"

Back in their small apartment in Princeton, Beats now sat alone on the sofa, Flint now curled up in bed, exhausted physically and emotionally from their night's work and the parentally induced stress. Beats knew that Mrs Wilson would realise that he was the one that was working with Flint, and he had come to a decision. Tomorrow he would come clean to his parents. They would be shocked - no, horrified would be a better word, and then the guilt would set in. They would blame themselves for getting him into his financial situation in the first place. His sister would no doubt feel the same when she found out, as she inevitably would; then she would turn all the blame on her ex-husband. He silently cursed whatever God had lead Flint's aunt into the bar that evening - he almost quoted the famous line from _Casablanca_ in his head to himself, and that made his lips twitch up into a smile for a moment. The fact was that it had happened, and they could not put the genie back in the bottle now. For better or for worse, their lives had been altered, and they just had to deal with the fallout. His biggest regret was the fact that Flint had been dragged into what was essentially his mess. Still, he knew that he could not have prevented it; Flint was his best friend, and he would not have had any of the things that happened any other way. Now, as he prepared to climb into bed himself that night, Beats was grateful for that friendship. He could only hope that when the time came, he would be able to repay all that his friend had done for him.

Flint slept late the following day. He had woken up early, then remembered all that he had said the night before and who he had said it to. He had groaned, and buried his head in the pillows again, desperate to delay waking up and switching his phone back on. He had dozed off again, and therefore missed Beats making an early Skype call to his parents. He had barely let them say hello when he started to tell them exactly how he was making the money that he needed to pay his way through school. His mother had cried, and that was not entirely unexpected; his father had been stoic, but he could sense a mixture of guilt and disappointment from him. In the end, Beats had burst into tears too, and begged for their forgiveness. All in all, it was a messy call, but by the end of it they had all agreed that it wasn't anyone's fault; he could have turned the job down after all. They had also decided that his sister never needed to know.

In L.A., not long after the call was made by Beats, Thad woke up to find a very serious looking Wes sitting on his bed. The moment that Wes told him that there was a problem, Thad had insisted on waking David, and bringing him in - after all, he was still the Deputy Head. Once the two of them were back in Thad's room, Wes began to tell them the whole story. He had had second thoughts at points - after all, it was a breach of Flint's privacy - but in the end he had decided that it was for his good, and that of Beats. When he had finished, both Thad and David, although shocked that Flint had joined his friend after his initial reaction to it at Christmas, knew that they had to step up and support their Warbler brothers. The only thing was, neither of them knew where to start, or if they would even be up to the task.


	20. Setting a Date

**Setting a Date...**

As the weekend of drama and revelation carried on in Princeton, things were going much more easily some miles to the south. It was a rare weekend for Trent and Rory, one in which they both had no commitments. They had no work to do, either for school or for Burt - he and Carole had taken a trip to visit her family, and he had left strict instructions that short of the apocalypse, he was not available. In the absence therefore of both war and zombies, the only thing that the young couple had to worry about was each other. They had spent the whole of Saturday morning in bed, eating a leisurely breakfast, and then catching up on all the things they had missed during the week when they were preoccupied with work. Eventually they had to get up, as they both wanted lunch - and they also had a Skype chat scheduled with Séamus and Becca from St Andrews. The moment that Rory's brother appeared on screen, the two boys could see that he was extremely happy - and it turned out that the letter that he was clutching in his hand was the reason. He had been given permission to emigrate to the United States, not just as the future husband of a U.S. citizen, but in his own right as an essential worker. It hadn't been strictly necessary for him to make the application, but he had wanted to ensure that he did everything legally and above board, and merited his place in the country in his own right. The fact that he had the backing of both his future employer (who just happened to be his future father-in-law) and a congressman had made the entire process much easier than it might otherwise have been.

"So, this is only part of the reason why I am so happy today. The other is that we have set a date for our wedding." said Séamus. "Please make a note to be free on Friday the 24th of July. It's all sorted - we will be getting married at Becca's parents country club in Maryland. I will E-mail you the details - it's between two tiny places called Bristol and Harwood."

Trent looked at Rory with an amused smile, and mouthed the word "Thad." Rory stifled a laugh, and turned back to his brother. "Well, what can I say big brother but that I am really pleased for you. I take it that you will still have a lot of things to arrange though…"

Séamus laughed. "Well, I actually do have two questions for you. Firstly little brother, I don't suppose that you would do me the honour of agreeing to be my best man?"

"Correct question! I would be absolutely delighted to be your best man, and as soon as you let me know exactly when you will be arriving in the States, I can organise your stag night…"

"I bet you will too - just remember, I like things to be quiet! Now, onto the second question. We have already had this discussion, and so now that I have set the date, you know what it means for the two of you. After all, Nana will be coming to my wedding, and she isn't getting any younger. The flight from Ireland is a longish one, and the weather will be much warmer than she is used to. Plus she will insist on paying for it all herself, and she isn't wealthy, like you two. So, my next question is, how soon after me will the two of you be getting married? I have mentioned it to Becca's dad, and they do same sex ceremonies at the club - and they have a free day on the 25th. We all agreed that Nana would want to see both of getting married, and we both know that it would be easier for her to only make the trip once. I mean there are other dates, and other venues - but, and please don't be angry with me - I might have provisionally booked your wedding for the day after mine…."

In Washington, there was a sudden stunned silence. Neither Trent or Rory had been in any great rush to get married - they were both still in college after all, and for them, just being engaged was more than enough. But, they had both seen how much married life suited Nick and Jeff, and they both knew that what Séamus was saying about Rory's Nana was true. Trent was eager to have the feisty woman at his wedding, and to introduce her to his family. On the other hand, it was rather short notice - at a rough calculation in his head, Trent put it as being in fifteen weeks. It wasn't long, but hadn't Kurt and Blaine put together what would have been a fabulous wedding, had fate not intervened, in even less time…? Trent turned to Rory, who was looking tense, and gave him a smile. "So, what do you think? Do you want to become Mr Rory Nixon in July? Because I would really like your Nana to be there on our big day…"

"So do I. She would want to come to our wedding too, but there is no way she would accept the gift of two flights to the States - I mean, it will be hard enough getting her to let us pay for this one… So, lets do it, but with a couple of conditions." Trent smiled happily, as Rory turned back to the screen. "Firstly, we need to check out the country club ourselves, and if we decide that we do not like it, then we will need to find somewhere else of our own. Secondly, I know that Nana will not let us pay for her flight, but we could insist that we pay for some people to come with her and keep her company - so she is looked after on the journey and whilst she is here."

"Ok, I agree with that," said Séamus, "but the question is who we ask?"

"Oh, that's an easy one," said Rory. "We ask Mrs Flynn, just because it will really upset mother at the same time, and there is a certain nun that I know who would probably jump at the opportunity…"

Séamus laughed at that, but he did so in the knowledge that his younger brother was totally serious, and that the nun in question would not have any problem whatsoever with attending the wedding of his brother to his boyfriend. In fact, from what he had been told, she would actually be quite supportive of both of them and their right to marry, as long as her Mother Superior didn't find out. He would leave the details of how she got to the States to Rory… If there was one tiny thing about the whole affair that made him slightly sad, it was the fact that his brother had elected to take Trent's surname when he married. He could understand why he would do that - their parents had hardly been the supportive and inspirational role models that they should have been - but it did feel that a little part of the thing that made them brothers was being taken away. They would still be bonded by so much else, but the fact that he was no longer going to be a Flanagan did make him sigh. His only consolation about the whole thing was that in just a few months time, they would be living within a few miles of each other again for the first time in over four years. Yes, it would no longer be so readily apparent that they were related, but that was a negative, and the positives outweighed it. He was gaining a brother-in-law that he liked; was getting a close tie to the Hummel family, who had been so supportive to his little brother in his time of need; and he would be gaining a connection to the strange gang of singing misfits that surrounded them.

Eventually, the call was ended, and finally alone, Trent turned to Rory, and said "We have just agreed to get married in fifteen weeks time! We are getting married in 105 days… We have so much to do…we need suits; we need a menu; we need a theme - do we need a theme? Plus we have a venue for the big day that we have never seen. On top of all that - we're getting married!"

Rory placed an arm around Trent, and smiled at him. He nodded and tried not to laugh at how panic stricken Trent seemed. "Firstly, we do have a name for the country club, and I also have a phone number for Becca's parents. So I am going to call them, and see if we can arrange to go and visit the venue tomorrow, just to see what we think. If we don't like it, or they don't like us, then we can panic because we will need to find somewhere else to go. We have one advantage if that is the case - Burt and his connections. I'm sure that we could have whatever venue we wished if we mentioned it was for a congressman's adopted son - except maybe the Oval Office…"

"That might be a bit small," said Trent with a laugh, "given that we will need to find a venue that can house my family and yours; Becca's immediate family; the Warblers and the New Directions; our college friends; and then there will be some of my parents friends, and Burt and Carole's - we have to compile a guest list too!"

"On a positive note, there is one thing that is simple - our best men. For me, it has to be Séamus, without a doubt."

"Simple for you, my love, but heck of a complex for me. I mean, my best friend at Dalton was Jeff, but I can't help but feel that if I ask him, then I am kind of excluding Nick in some way. There is Sebastian, but I am not as close to him as the two of them are. If Wes was still alive, it would be easier…"

"You know, there is someone from Dalton that you could ask, and if you actually think about it, they would be an obvious choice…" Rory stopped, and looked expectantly at Trent, but he still just looked confused. "Ah, I don't know, for someone so smart you can be so oblivious at times. You ask your other great friend from school Trent. You ask Mitch…"

Trent knew that Rory was right the moment that he uttered his name. Who else should he ask but his former roommate and mentor? It was true that in the immediate aftermath of the events at Dalton whilst the Warblers were being ruled by the iron fist of Hunter Clarington, Mitch had vanished from sight; but that was all in the past now. They had reconnected at Wes' memorial, and even though his old friend was now based in Boston, they had both made time to meet up since. They had visited each other at home; called each other and talked on the phone, or on Skype at least once a week; and had met in New York too, a convenient centre point. The other former Warblers had also allowed him back into their lives, and although he was not one of the exclusive inner circle that was able to see angels, he was back to being one of them. He knew Trent better than any of them, even Jeff. Roommates shared things that even best friends didn't - you couldn't share a room and not find out little secrets. Making a mental note to call him and formally ask him, the rest of the boys afternoon was spent in compiling an official guest list. It looked as if it was going to be a big wedding, and neither of them were really sure that they wanted that…


	21. for Another Warbler Wedding

**...for Another Warbler Wedding**

The following morning saw the two of them up early, and after hiring a car, they drove out of the city in a south-easterly direction, heading towards the little community of Bristol and the country club. The drive was not a long one, and that pleased them both. In no time, they were off the highway, having followed a signpost that stated Harwood. Seeing the name again made Trent realise that he really did need to give Thad a call. It had been a few weeks now since he had talked to the Head Warbler, and he really felt that he should be the first of their friends to be told all about the wedding. It was only right and proper after all - had Wes still been around, he would have been Trent's first port of call. He was brought our of his chain of thought as Rory, who had been driving, nudged him and pointed out the old white house on the hill in front of them, built in the traditional southern style, that was the focal point of the whole establishment. It did look magnificent; and he had to admit that it would be a perfect backdrop for their wedding pictures. A lot would still depend though on the attitude of the staff, and the flexibility of the catering on offer. They did not want to choose from a list of menus - they wanted to be able to select the kind of food they wanted.

The car was left in the safety of the lot, and after taking a few minutes to just breathe in the air and soak up the atmosphere, they headed inside. The warmth of the greeting that they received as they approached the reception desk was enough to convince them both that the welcome would be friendly - and the food samples that they were given as they talked to the wedding organiser were delicious. There would also be no problem in tailoring the menu to their own demands. When it came to asking how much it would all cost, they were pleasantly surprised at just how low the price they were given was. A combination of the discount they had been given for being related to a member of the club in Becca's family, and a discount that was available for being a family member of a congressman. They looked at each other and knew from each other's face what they had to do. The provisional booking was confirmed there and then. It was definite - they would be getting married in a day short of 15 weeks time.

As Trent drove them back to the city, Rory made a call to Burt and Carole. He knew that strictly this wasn't an emergency, but he felt that they would want to know. It came as no real surprise when they told him that they already knew all about the proposed venue, as Séamus had called them to let them know what he was doing, just in case Rory had been angry with him. They were more than happy about the fact that they had set a date; all the concerns that Burt had once had about young people getting married so early had disappeared, in no small part due to the success of the marriage of Nick and Jeff. He could no longer argue his case when it was quite clear that love was more than enough; plus it did actually help to keep Rory in the country, not that he would tell anyone that. Carole was more excited than Burt, as finally she would get to be mother of the groom for a living person. She would also she hoped be allowed to assist with the planning in the run up to the wedding. Then there was the fact that it was a good excuse to but a new hat - heck, a whole new outfit, given that the wedding was taking place at such an exclusive country club. Rory was left so happy by the time he ended the conversation that he started to cry. That was what happened when you finally had two parents that cared at your side.

The reaction of Trent's family when they called them later that day was the same; happiness for them, if mixed with a little concern about how soon the day would come. Trent also knew that as soon as he hung up the phone, his mom would be calling Carole to discuss ideas for the big day; to co-ordinate outfits too, no doubt, if he knew them well enough. He also mentally began to prepare himself for a lot of maternal visits over the next few weeks; she would need to see the venue, to check the quality of the catering; to assess hotels in the area. It didn't bother him in the least - he loved his mother, and he knew that she would not try and interfere in anything that he and Rory had decided upon.

After that, it was time to make the call to Thad, after making an allowance for the time difference. He answered as promptly as he always did, and after they had exchanged the usual pleasantries, Trent announced that he had big news, and that Thad would need to clear his diary at the end of July. There was a moment of silence, and then Thad said "So, I take it that you and Rory have set a date? Excellent! I think that this calls for a Warbler group Skype!" Without waiting for the two young men in Washington to respond, he sent out a group text, and in the space of 5 minutes, every one of the main Warblers was on line, even Ethan and Drew in England, and David had appeared beside Thad. Trent was asked to make his announcement, and when he did, there was cheering from around the nation and from across the Atlantic.

"Right." said Thad, when the noise had died down, "I am assuming that all of us intend to attend this year's Warbler wedding? I am, of course, in that statement making the assumption that none of the rest of us are considering getting married this year - any plans, Sebastian?"

"Not so far, Thad, but who knows? Maybe Dave and I will elope to Vegas…"

"Really? Elope to Vegas - presumably to get married in some quick ceremony by a celebrant dressed as Elvis…" said Thad, with a significant dollop of sarcasm.

"I don't know - a Warbler wedding in Vegas does sound good," said Beats with a wink. "After all, you know what they say - what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."

"It sounds like Wes' worst nightmare," said David with a laugh. "Can you imagine - he would have spent his entire time worrying himself sick about who was getting themselves into trouble with showgirls; who was squandering their family inheritance at the slots, or blackjack, or roulette; who was getting themselves arrested or annoying the mafia…"

"And as the current Head Warbler, all of that responsibility would now fall on me," said Thad with a groan. "So, guys, no weddings in Vegas ever, please - unless you can arrange to get me very, very drunk first - but not so drunk that I wake up married to David…" There was a moment of total silence, and then everyone burst out laughing. When they had all finally stopped, Thad continued. "Ok, so back to the point of this conversation - a July wedding near Washington DC. So no doubt you will want us to sing, and probably perform some other kind of role at the ceremony?"

"Yes," said Trent. "We were thinking that you could act as ushers, as you did at a recent wedding in New York…. Now, however, I have to say something that you might not all like, and might shock you. It's my choice of best man…"

"Mitch," said David, with a smile.

"Mitchell," said Beats and Flint in unison.

"Gonna be Mitch, isn't it Nicky?"

"Very much doubt he would choose anyone else, Jeff"

"He is your only choice," said Thad, " and I would have been very surprised if you had uttered any other name. It is actually a relief to know that someone else will find themselves responsible for organising the inevitable bachelor party."

"I haven't actually asked him yet, but yes, I do want him to be my best man. He might say no though…"

"He won't, I promise you. He loves you too much as a friend to ever turn you down," said Thad with a grin.

David nodded in agreement, and added, "The only way to find out is to call him - and best do it as soon as possible."

Trent turned to Rory, who agreed with David. "You should call him right now my love. I know that you are nervous - sure, I would be too in your situation. I am lucky that I have a brother to ask; if it wasn't for Séamus, then I would be in the middle of fretting about which of the New Directions guys to ask to be my best man. That would be an agonising choice - a minefield in fact. The thing is, you know exactly who you want to do the job for you; to be your right hand man on the most important day of your life. I might only have met him a few times, but I agree with Thad. He isn't going to say no…"

Trent sighed, and pulled out his phone, all to aware that everyone was watching him intently on Skype. He pressed a few buttons, and waited patiently for his call to be answered. It was with a "Hey roomie! How are you, my little Trent?"

"Having quite the weekend, actually. Been making a few decisions with Rory about the future. You see, his big brother is getting married, and her family is from Baltimore, so they will be having the ceremony here. Now, their grandmother is getting old and a bit frail, so…"

"Is this your way of telling me that my little Trent is getting himself a husband this summer too?"

"Yeah. Clear your diary for July the 25th, because I would like you to be there."

"Try and keep me away!"

"The thing is, Mitch… look, you were the best friend that I had at Dalton. You always looked out for me; and we all know that you persuaded Wes to ask the then council that I be allowed to sit in at Warblers' meetings. This is awkward - I guess what I am trying to say is that when a man gets married, he needs his best friend at his side…"

There was silence on the other end of the phone, and then, in a quiet, teary voice, Mitch replied, "Are you asking me to be your best man? Me, not Jeff, or…"

"You. Mitch Henderson, will you do me the great honour of being my best man?"

"Yes, of course I will. It will be my honour and privilege. I always hoped that you might ask me one day, but I thought I had blown my chances after everything that happened over the whole Hunter debacle…"

"We all make mistakes - but in this case, it wasn't really your mistake. You were only following the instructions of your folks, doing what you had to do to stay at college, and we've all forgiven you for that. Which is why I think that it is high time that we brought you back into the Warbler fold fully. Do you recall the old group ID on Skype? Because if you do, you should join us all now…"

Within a minute, Mitch's Skype ID appeared on every screen, and with no hesitation from any of those in the chat, he was accepted by them all. When his face appeared on their screens, it was beaming with a broad smile, but they could all see the tracks of the tears that he had recently shed.

"Welcome back, Warbler Mitchell," said Thad, with due solemnity. "It's good to have you back with us. So, as his best man, we will accept any instructions that you give us to ensure that our beloved Trent is sent off safely to a long and happy marriage with the wonderful Rory. Now, I am guessing that the two of them will not want strippers…"

"But I am available if they do," said Beats with a wink, causing everyone to laugh.

"And I could join him. After all, I already am stripping in public at his side in the bar.." As Flint stopped speaking, there was absolute silence. On camera, mouths had dropped open, and Mitch, who had barely got over the fact that Beats was stripping, looked as if his eyes were about to pop out of his head. Even Beats himself was staring at Flint in shock and surprise. "I wasn't intending to tell you all like this; in fact, until last night I probably hoped I would never have to tell you. But, let's just say, it has been quite a weekend. Anyway, Thad and David already knew about this. I told them earlier because my mom has found out…"

"Uh oh," said Jeff. "I take it that she was overjoyed about it and gave you her full backing and support…?"

Flint burst out in gales of laughter, and was barely able to say "Oh, Blondie, you always could make me smile! Which is a good thing, because I proceeded to make the situation even better by telling her to butt out of my life…"

"What kind of songs do you want for your funeral?" said Nick with a serious expression, which made Flint laugh all the harder, and caused Beats to start giggling too.

"Ok, let me get this straight. Beats and Flint are working as strippers….!?" said Mitch, a look of complete incredibility on his face.

"Yeah, in a gay bar in Princeton," said Thad. "They might even be taking off an approximation of a prep school uniform."

"Wow, the Warblers have grown up…" said Mitch, shaking his head. "Do you know something though - I might just pay to see that. Better yet, maybe they can perform at the bachelor party…"

"If I am still alive," said Flint sadly.

"No, if **we** are still alive," said Beats, placing an arm around his friend, "because she will have to kill me first."

"She'll have to get through all of us first," said David, "because the Warbler brotherhood is strong, and even Santana would agree with that, if she was here."

The Skype conversation ended up continuing long into the night. As Thad summed it up, they had the good news of a date for Trent and Rory's nuptials, and time to formulate their plans for that; the return of Mitch fully to the fold, which they all had to agree was a very good thing, and would be 100% confirmed once he had his bird name tattooed on his shoulder (that comment had made Mitch pale for a moment if he was honest); but then there was the problem of the stress and chaos that was about to engulf Flint and by connection, Beats. They could all sympathise with his predicament once they had heard the full story. It was sheer chance - after all, the odds of his aunt walking into the bar they worked in in New Jersey, when she lived hundreds of miles away in Kansas were so slim…

But it had happened, and now they would all be there to support him, and indeed Beats when the proverbial hit the fan. There was less that Thad and David could do than the others in the States, as they were on the opposite side of the continent; though as both Trent and Sebastian pointed out, L.A. would make a great place for them to run to and hide. They did not dwell on Flint's problems though. As he himself put it, doing so would not make them go away; all it did was remind him of the problems he had to face; for all he knew, she might already be on her way to Princeton as they talked…

"Possibly on her broomstick," said Jeff in a half-whisper to Nick, who gave him a gentle slap. When they looked up, they saw Flint smiling at them, whilst waggling a finger, Beats stifling his laughter at his side.

In the main though, they discussed the wedding. The two grooms still had no idea for a theme, and although the words 'Southern Decadence' were mentioned more than once, Trent was unsure - plus he wanted somehow to reflect Rory's heritage on the big day too, not just his own family roots in the south. Eventually though, Ethan and Drew announced they really had to go, as it was nearly three in the morning in England, and that reminded them all that they should go. They exchanged more congratulations, and sympathy to Flint, before one by one they signed off. As they did so, Trent yawned, and so Rory decided that the two of them should get an early night - and after a quick wash, they went off to cuddle together in bed.


	22. Cooper's Time Arrives

**Cooper's Time Arrives**

Of course, it wasn't just the living Warblers that would be keeping a close eye on the situation between Flint and his mother. Wes had taken the decision that he needed to keep Kurt and Blaine in the loop, and that meant telling Finn too. They all three were rather shocked that he of all people had found himself in this kind of situation. "Of all of the Warblers, Flint is the last one that I ever imagined seeing as a stripper in a gay bar," Kurt remarked. "Beats, Sebastian, even a desperate Jeff, yes - but never him!"

"I'm sure that if it wasn't for the fact that he felt that his best friend needed his protection, then he wouldn't be doing it at all," Blaine pointed out. "It's just another example of the epic state of the bromance amongst Warblers!"

Finn had just sat in an embarrassed silence for a few moments, and then said very quietly "I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to know that your aunt saw your… you know…"

"She didn't. She left the moment that she realised that it was him, thankfully, or the whole screwed up factor would have been multiplied by ten thousand," said Wes. "The fact that his mother now knows is the big issue here. I took a quick look at the Wilson household about an hour ago. His parents were in the middle of a big fight about what she had just done. I think that she has written and mailed a letter to someone, my guess being somebody in authority at Princeton."

"But if the college finds out what he and Beats are doing…" said Blaine quietly.

"Then they might find themselves being kicked out. A disgrace to the school, etc, etc. I hate to say this, but I think that his mother would like that. Flint would be forced to head home, and away from Beats - at least that is what she imagines. She isn't interested in the fact that if he was kicked out, it could screw up his life in the long run. She'd canvas her friends, get him a boring job in an office in Kansas, marry him off…"

"…to that ugly daughter of her best friend, whose fashion sense makes Rachel Berry look like the style editor of Vogue?" said Kurt.

"Exactly. He would end up entirely under her thumb. Whatever else we do, we cannot let that happen."

"How do you intend to stop it though?" said Finn. "You know that we can't interfere directly in things like this."

"Oh, I know Finn, But what we can do is give our friends the advice that they need to help him out of the mess."

"So, that's the bad news of the day. The good news is all about Trory!" said Blaine with a broad smile.

"A date has been set, and with the amount of notice that I have, it should be possible for me to arrange for us all to get some time off to attend. I don't know what role, if any, they will want us to play though - that remains to be discussed," said Wes. "What I suggest is that we pay them a visit as a group, and offer them our heartfelt congratulations - I am certain that they will be only too happy to see us."

"At least with these two," said Kurt, "I am sure that there will not be the same level of pre-wedding jitters as there were with Niff. I am extremely grateful for that."

"For me, it's the fact that I won't be dealing with a big issue of my own at the same time," said Blaine pointedly. "I will actually be able to enjoy playing my part in the build up to the big day!"

"I hate to put a bit of a dampener on things, but the big issue at this wedding is that most of the guests will not be able to see us. They will just walk into us, or worse, right through us, unless we stand well clear of the passageways," said Finn.

"At least Séamus can see us, and his fiancée. The big issue here, as I see it, is that Mitch cannot," said Wes. "He is going to be Trent's best man after all, and it would really be beneficial if he knew that we were there."

"It's a pity that he isn't in the same position as Michelle - I mean, if he could even just hear one of us - and probably you, Wes," said Blaine. "Maybe we could try the same method on him as Kurt and I used with Beats. You know, the constant draughts from our wings, watching him and hoping he realises that someone is there…"

"I don't know if that would actually work with him; but yeah, it is worth a try," said Wes thoughtfully. "You're right in saying that it would most likely be me that he would hear though. Before we do this though, I would need to get some ground work done. It looks as if a visit to L.A. will be in order on this one."

At that moment there was an urgent knocking on the door of the loft. Kurt got up, and hurried over to open the door, to reveal Elizabeth standing there. She came in, clutching a piece of paper, which she hand over to Blaine without a single word. He read what was on it, and his face paled. "What is it, Blaine?" said Wes, his face etched with concern. Then he realised what it might be, and turned to Elizabeth, and said "Please, please tell me it isn't another…"

"No, Wes, it's not that," said Blaine, before Elizabeth could speak. It isn't that, but it certainly isn't good…."

He handed the paper to Kurt, who took one look and gasped, his face also turning white. "This is not good. This is going to screw with his head, big style," he said. Blaine could only nod in response.

* * *

When Cooper was called into the producer's office on a mid April morning, he literally had no idea what to expect. He had been quite happily playing some of the supporting parts on and off for a while now; had even take the lead on one particularly quiet performance when the leading man had been on a day off and his understudy had called in sick. He was happy with what if he was doing, if he was honest. He no longer felt the pressure as much as he had in his first few weeks, and that was no bad thing. All in all, he was happy with life. On a Monday night, he was now a fixture at the Spotlight, and he had built up quite the fan club there. The way that some people gushed over him because he was on Broadway was frightening though, and it was much worse on the few nights that Rachel had joined him. He had also found the love of his life in Grace; he had taken a ring from the box on her night stand one day, and had in the company of Nick and Sebastian gone out and chosen an engagement ring. He knew that he was ready to ask her; he just wanted to wait until the perfect moment. He would continue to do that, and no matter how many times Nick gave him that particular look, he would wait until everything was right in his mind. So that morning, as he knocked on the door, he didn't really know why he felt nervous. He entered when he was called in, and took the seat that was offered to him. The producer smiled at him, the director at his side. "Cooper, my boy, I am just going to come out and say this - it's time. We were thinking that the weekend before Memorial Day would be a good starting date. We will advertise it, make the most of it. Let the world know that Cooper Hummel-Warbler is Charlie Price!"

As he made his way to the Spotlight later that evening, not needing to be in the theatre for that evening's show, the whole thing was still going through his head. He was going to be a Broadway leading man in just over five weeks. It was finally coming true. His name would be up in lights on the pavilion of the theatre. He was excited; he was terrified; he felt like bursting into tears. All he could think was that the name before Hummel-Warbler should really be Blaine or Kurt. He knew that both of them would be so proud of him, so thrilled for him; but he would give all of it up - fame, fortune, even Grace, to be there on his little brother's opening night instead…

He shook his head and dismissed those thoughts. He couldn't think like that, not now that he was on his way to tell all of them his big news. He had made so many calls after he had calmed himself down having left the office; he had called Grace, and asked her to join him for dinner; had confirmed that Nick and Jeff would be there - the latter would be on shift with Sam and Santana that night. He had also called Sebastian and asked him to pop in, and he had promised to on his way home from his work at the Strand bookstore. Now he was at the door of the diner. He could see Grace sitting there at her brother's side, the two of them engaged in conversation about life in general. He placed his hand on the door and pushed it open, smiling at hearing the now familiar voice of Dani from the stage, and headed across to join the two of them.

They ordered food first; the three of them were hungry. Whilst they were waiting for it to arrive, Sebastian walked in and joined them. Jeff saw this and rushed over and took his order, so that he could add his food to that already ordered for the table. The only odd thing about it to Jeff's mind was that as he walked away, Cooper called him back and asked him to be sure to be the one that brought their food out. It was a funny request, but sure enough, once the food was ready, it was Jeff that came back with the tray. He set down the plates, and then turned to face him. "Ok, Cooper, spill. Something is going on. I can tell… I only have a couple of minutes, so get on with it!"

As the three others at the table glanced at first Jeff and then Cooper curiously, the latter said nothing at first, and then nonchalantly said "Oh, it's nothing really. I just need all of you to ensure that you keep the 22nd of May free - Dave too, of course, Sebastian. You see, you're going to have a first night to attend…"

There was a momentary silence and then the table erupted with shouts of joy. Grace pulled Cooper into a hug, followed seconds later by Nick. Jeff was almost bouncing on his heels as Sebastian pulled out his phone to make a call to Dave. The sudden outburst of joy attracted the attention of both Santana and Sam, who both found time to wander over and make enquiries; and they were just as enthused by the news as the others. By the time that the four at the table had finished their meals, the news had spread like wildfire amongst the Warblers and New Directions. This much was evident when Cooper got a text from David, asking for seats to be reserved for himself and the rest of the L.A. contingent. This was a big moment for him, after all.

By the time that Cooper and Grace were finally ready to head home, he had so many requests for tickets it was unbelievable - the latest had come from Beats and Flint. He had made a call himself to Burt, once he knew that he would be safely out of meetings. He had been fulsome in his congratulations, so proud of him and all that he had achieved. He immediately asked for tickets for himself, Carole, Trent and Rory, because as he said, there was no way that he was missing his 'son's' opening night on Broadway. Hearing those words being said through the speakerphone, in front of everyone at the diner, made Cooper start to tear up; that earned him a tight hug from Sam, because that was what little brothers did for their elders. He didn't actually say that out loud, as he knew that to do so would make the whole situation ten times worse for him. If he was honest, he was feeling close to tears himself, because he knew that when his own time came - and he was doing very well at NYADA, surprising himself as much as all those that had expressed doubts over his ability to stay the course - he knew that Burt would be there in the front row too, next to his own parents.

Everyone was just so very pleased for him, some for their own selfish reasons. As Santana told him, Rachel would no longer be able to claim that she was the only one of them with a Broadway lead role once Cooper started in his, and then they could all get some peace from her constant boasting, and her complaints about the pressures of being famous. What had shocked him was when he had received a call from Sue Sylvester. It also scared him, as he had no idea how she had got his cell number in the first place. He was shocked to hear her say that Blaine would have been so proud to see his big brother make it. She knew that both he and Kurt would come and see him at some point and tell him how proud they were of him for themselves, but just now, she wanted him to know that she was happy for him, and that she had informed everyone that much on her nightly Sue's Corner slot. She wanted everyone in Lima to know that he had redeemed himself, and made it. For some reason, the knowledge that half of Ohio knew of his latest achievements made him feel insanely happy, and it was a cheerful Cooper that strolled home from the diner that evening, with Grace on his arm.

However, what had been intended as a nice gesture by Sue turned out to have consequences, as such good intentions often do. These were of course the very things that Blaine had been shown on paper by Elizabeth….

Sue's Corner was not just shown on WOHN these days; such was its popularity that it had actually been syndicated, and was shown elsewhere in Ohio on other stations, including those that covered Westerville and Cleveland. In the case of the former, the staff and students of Dalton Academy found out that Cooper was to be a star, and that raised smiles; that the talented brother of the former Warbler's lead soloist Blaine was to star on Broadway as the former pupil had wished to do himself made Aaron Carmichael glad. In the Senior Commons, some of the senior Warblers began to debate whether a trip to the city of New York was in order; and for Dylan, well it did make him think that a trip to see his cousin Jeff might be in order soon…

But in Cleveland, the show was seen, quite by chance, in a very different household. One in which the words were not greeted with delight, but with pity and indifference. After all, Cooper had made his feelings towards them quite clear when he had taken his court action the year before. For Jonathan and Pam Anderson, the knowledge that their estranged eldest son, a boy that had even abandoned the family name for a combination of show choir and their dead son's boyfriends surname, was going to be a star on Broadway was an embarrassment. The only thing that they could be grateful for, in Mr Anderson's eyes, was the fact that none of their new circle of friends would be aware that they were related to him.

"He doesn't deserve this - all this praise and adulation from that awful creature," said Pam, before taking a large drink of gin from the glass at her side. "I still remember what she did to our credit rating!"

Her husband sat opposite her in silence, his mind working overtime. "Yes, it would be a pity though if he suddenly lost all of it…" he said, getting a puzzled look from his drunk wife. "Wouldn't it be a pity if the media was full of stories about how Cooper Hummel-Warbler was seen to mistreat his parents just prior to his opening night. The parents that had come to the city with contrition in their hearts to beg him for forgiveness. That's the kind of story that would make a big splash in the papers, and on the gossip sites. Yes, Pam, I do believe that a trip to New York is in order. It is time to pack our bags, and go and make our apologies. Plus, as he has such a big house, we should invite ourselves to stay…"


	23. Princeton Problems

**Princeton Problems**

All through the week after Passover, Flint had been quietly dreading the moment when his mother would take action. The fact that she had not done so as the week drew towards its close - indeed, had not even called him up to chastise him again, filled him with a fear that was worse than anything he had known before. He knew that something was coming; he just didn't know when, or in what form. The weekend that followed was quiet for both himself and Beats; they had done their usual shows on Friday and Saturday, the tips flying in, along with the usual offers. They ignored all of them, although Beats said jokingly as always that he was putting them to one side, just in case. On Sunday, he decided that he would call his father on his cell. The conversation was brief, and at first, awkward; but after a short chat, it was all put aside when his father suddenly said "I don't care what you are doing; just be careful, and that goes for both of you." Flint knew that as far as his father was concerned, the subject was now closed. After talking to him, he dialled his aunt, and left a message on her answering service, saying that he didn't blame her and that he forgave her. By the time Monday came round, he had almost forgotten to worry.

He should have known better…

On the morning of the last Monday in April, the 27th, he woke up to discover that he had received a text from the college, asking him to attend a meeting at the Dean's Office that morning at 10am. He was puzzled at first, but thought nothing of it as he got washed and dressed. Then he joined Beats for breakfast - and discovered that he also had to go to the office at the same time. The message was identical. He no longer felt hungry after that, because he knew, at that moment, that this was the start of whatever revenge his mother had been planning.

The meeting turned out to be short, but far from sweet. The Dean had received an anonymous letter, accusing the two of them of bringing the reputation of Princeton into total disrepute through their lewd behaviour. It mentioned the work that they were doing naturally, but that information did not concern the Dean unduly. He was a man of the world after all; he appreciated the hard financial realities of obtaining a college education from a prestigious school in the 21st Century. Although he would never have advocated striptease as a job for one of his students, he knew that they were not the first, and would not be the last.

No, what concerned him was what the letter writer went on to say. They went on to accuse the two boys of 'making films of an indecent nature' and 'offering personal services for their own financial gain.' That was an altogether different matter in the eyes of the college, and it was an allegation that they would be forced to investigate in detail at once. Flint had just sat back in stunned silence as the allegations were read out, but Beats would not, and could not. "Sir, with all due respect, I can tell you here and now that those latter charges are spurious. I do not deny that I have been working as a stripper for nearly five months now; Flint has been doing it for a shorter time, and indeed he only started to do it as he was concerned about my welfare at the bar. I took the job as my parents are no longer in a position to help me financially with my living costs; the job pays well, and it allows me to stay here at school and finish my education. The other charges are, in my opinion, the product of a warped mind. Yes, we have both been propositioned; we have both received offers of money to do films. But we don't accept them, and we never will! I do have a good idea who sent you that letter though. It isn't my place to tell you, but I am 99.9% certain of who is behind this. If I am right, the letter will have a Kansas postmark on it…"

The Dean glanced at the envelope and nodded at him. "My mom…" said Flint quietly. As he was stared at with a mix of curiosity and sympathy by the Dean, he continued "It was my mom. She found out what I have been doing - how isn't important - and then I stood up to her and told her it was my decision when she exploded at me. This is her revenge; my comeuppance. Let me guess; if we are unable to disprove these accusations, then the policy of the college would be expulsion?" The Dean nodded, as at his side something between a gasp and a sob came from his best friend. Before anyone else could speak, Flint spoke again. "She knows full well that if it came to that point, then Beats would say that it was all his doing, and leave rather than see me punished. Well, I am not prepared to let that happen. He has worked so hard to be able to stay here; so hard to get to the place that he is in academically. So I will take full responsibility for these baseless accusations. I will leave…"

Beats gasped, and looked as if he would burst into tears; Flint was close to that himself, but he kept it in check. He placed a hand on his friends shoulder, and made to get up, to walk away from it all… "Mr Wilson, neither of you is leaving. I know you both fairly well by now, and if you tell me that neither of you are doing the things that you have been accused of in this vile letter, then I will tear it up here and now and place it where it belongs - in the garbage. If the writer thinks that your job alone is enough to get you kicked out, then she is sadly mistaken."

Flint looked up at the Dean, and suddenly knew what he had to do. It was wrong, it was wicked in its way, but it was necessary. Two could play at her game. "Well, sir, he began, you have my solemn promise, and that of Beats, that we are not doing the other stuff; just the stripping. But…" he paused, and watched a curious look appear on the Dean's face "…maybe you could help me to deal with her, so that we can avoid a situation like this ever happening again…"

The Dean listened with curiosity as Flint spelt out what he intended to do. At points he could feel his eyebrows rise in horror; at others it was all that he could do to stifle a chuckle. He would not normally condone the kind of scheme that was being suggested to him, but in this case, the boy's mother had taken things far to far. The letter that she had sent, had it fallen into the hands of his immediate superior, would have lead to the immediate expulsion of both the young men in front of him, with no chance of explanation and certainly no appeal. The principal was a man who believed in good, old-fashioned values, and as such, he was shielded as much as possible from the realities of the 21st century by his colleagues. Reading between the lines in this situation, he could see a controlling mother, who had her own set ideas of what her son should be doing with his life, and whom he should be doing that with. In her opinion, he should not be allowed at any point to deviate from the course she had chosen for him, nor would any negotiation be entered into on altering it. He knew that if she wasn't careful, then she would lose her son altogether; that was what had happened between his own mother and his older brother.

So it was that the Dean agreed to write out a letter to Flint, expelling him forthwith from Princeton; he then sent a further letter to his parents home address in Kansas, to inform them why their son had been expelled, attaching a photocopy of the letter that had let the college know of the activities he had been engaged in. Flint knew that his father would recognise his mother's handwriting at once - so much of it was distinctive in style. As for his own part, he would be making an emotional call to his mother that evening. He did not tell the Dean what he was going to say to her, and the Dean didn't want to know. Beats, on the other hand, knew that he had to be there to listen in on it; he had the feeling that it was going to be an absolute pleasure to hear.

When the two young men arrived home that evening, it was to find that they had visitors in the form of Kurt and Blaine. "So, how are our favourite Preppy Boys? Rough day at school?" said Blaine, with a cheeky grin on his face.

"You know it was guys," said Beats, "and all thanks to a woman that I have never met, and have absolutely no wish to meet either!"

"How are you Flint?" said Kurt, noticing that the other man was silent and deep in thought. "Wes wanted to come himself, but he had a meeting that he couldn't get out of, so he has filled us in on the situation… He said to say that you need to think very carefully about what you are intending to say to her. She is still your mother after all, and you mustn't burn all your bridges with her, otherwise a day may come when you will regret it. I have to say that I agree; what she has done is awful, but don't push her out of your life altogether. If you do, it will only make things worse not just for the two of you, but for your dad and your aunt."

Flint looked at him, and nodded. "I know," he said with a sigh. "If it wasn't for them, I would be getting on the phone and telling the meddling old so and so to clear off, but probably not as politely as that! I am just going to frighten her; to show her that her actions can have consequences that she would not have anticipated; that they might in fact actually precipitate her worst nightmare."

"Well, in that case, go ahead" said Kurt. "Blaine and I are agog to hear what you are going to say. Then of course, we will have to go back and repeat it word for word for Wes…"

Flint smiled whilst shaking his head, then picked up his phone and headed into the kitchen, followed by his curious best friend and two angels. His first action was to pull an onion out of the vegetable box, peel it, then start to chop it. It did not take long for his tears to start falling. "Oh bravo," said Beats with a grin, "That is an excellent start!"

Flint put his phone on speakerphone, dialled the number and let it ring. When the familiar voice answered it with the words "Wilson residence" he began to sob loudly, and then he spoke in a choked voice, as Beats placed a hand over his own mouth in case he started to laugh.

"Mom? It's me Flint. I got it all so wrong, and I am so, so sorry…"

"What is it darling? Tell me!"

"I should have listened to you. You are always right about things, but I never listen and now it's too late… You always said that Beats was a bad influence and he would ruin my life…" The young man in question looked hurt, but only in jest. "Well, you were right - he has and it's too late.. I've been kicked out of Princeton, mom. I've thrown it all away and I've lost my future. What do I do now….?"

He burst into aching sobs, ignoring the fact that Beats was struggling not to laugh, and that beside him, Blaine was nearly doing the same. His mother tried to comfort him with words as he wailed louder and louder; then she said the words he was waiting for - she suggested that he should just come home to Kansas.

"No, mom, don't you see? I can't ever come home now. Everyone will know what I've done… I'm tainted now, I'm just a whore…" He ignored his mother's protests on the other end of the line, and then said, "I know what I'm going to do, mom. I'm going to go to New York, tonight; get away from Beats. I can get a job there, of some kind; get myself a bed at the YMCA for now… Because I can't go to any of my friends there, they'll all back Beats… It's not the best plan, but like you always say, I've made my bed, and now I have to lie in it…. Then again, it's too late for me already, mom. It can't be any worse. Maybe I should just take up the last offer from the studio; it would pay well, and they'd help me get somewhere to live. I mean, why not? It's too late for me already… Ok, this is goodbye, mom. I love you, but I can't shame you in front of your friends at the synagogue. I will use a fake name in the films. Hopefully, no-one you know will see me when I'm starring in the gay porn…"

With those words, Flint ended the call, but not before they had all heard the shriek of horror from the other end. He turned back to face his friends, and immediately noted the look of disbelief and shock on Kurt's face; and the expression on both Beats and Blaine's faces that told him that they were choking back their laughter. "Did I take it too far?" he asked innocently, and that was enough to send Beats rolling onto the floor in fits of laughter, Blaine following him seconds later.

Kurt just raised an eyebrow, then with the tiniest hint of a smile, said "No, I think that you did what you set out to do, and did it with some style." As Flint's phone started to vibrate with an incoming call, the word 'Mom' flashing on the screen, he added, "Of course, you did omit to tell her your new name - I do believe that there is a formula.."

"Yeah," said Beats, stifling back a laugh to speak, "I think it's your first pet's name with your home street name."

"Ok, based on that, my new name would be Sonny Givens," said Flint completely deadpan.

That was enough to set Beats laughing again, and even Kurt had to smile broadly at that. "Oh boy, with a name like that, you would be sure to end up with older co-stars," the blue eyed angel said - and then he couldn't stop it any longer. He burst out in hoots of laughter, falling down at Blaine's side, doubling over on himself as tears formed in his eyes.

As his three friends laughed, Flint did not. He just stood and watched as his phone continued to vibrate, the same word on the screen; no sooner did it stop than it started again. He was so tempted to pick it up, to tell her even more of the tale, but he didn't in the end. He just allowed it to keep ringing out, knowing that in the end, if he continued to refrain from answering, she would finally stop and think about what she had done with her letter, maybe she would come to her senses, but somehow he doubted it. She would never change; she was the stereotypical Jewish mother after all. He just wasn't prepared to be the obedient Jewish son anymore. He resolved to call his dad, and let him know what he had done. He would have to use Beats' phone, as his own just didn't want to stop ringing….

It took quite a while for Beats to stop laughing long enough for Flint to be able to ask him if he could borrow his phone, but he agreed straight away. "You alright, Flint?" he asked, realising that his friend was not as happy with the turn of events as he pretended to be.

"Not really; she crossed a line, but now, so have I, and there is no going back. I might have lost my mom tonight; though at least the fact that she keeps calling me tells me that she is still alive," he said sadly.

"Well, you take my phone, and go and call your dad, and then we are going to have pizza, ok. My treat."

Flint smiled at that, knowing what his best friend was doing - his usual tried and tested cheer up routine. "Ok, that'd be good. Just remember…"

"No ham, no bacon. You know that I would never forget. You're my bro, and I love you. Now go, call your dad. Tell him I said hi!" With those words, Beats handed his phone to Flint, and pushed him in the direction of his room.

By the time that Flint stepped back into the living room, Kurt and Blaine had gone. "They said to say goodbye, and they will pop back tomorrow to see how you are. Wes will probably turn up too, because they will be telling him everything that happened right now, if I know them. So, how did things go with your dad?"

"Well, he wasn't exactly best pleased with me, given that my mother has been reduced to a screaming, hysterical wreck. He was even less pleased though when I told him all that has happened today. He and my mother will be having a long conversation about what she did, when she calms down. He agrees that she needed to be taught a lesson, but he thinks that I could have handled it a whole lot better, and in a much more mature way - and he is right. Turns out that my mother is talking about having to get a realtor in as they would have to move away because of the shame. He made me promise on my own life that I will never talk about going into that business, even in jest, ever again. He wants you to promise him the same. I told him that you would do. Anyway, he is going to try and sort it all out - he has the patience of a saint. Oh, I just wish that my life was a little easier, Beats…"

"It will be from now on, hopefully. I mean, she will try and interfere again, and she will still hate your job… Look, if you want to stop doing it with me…"

"No, no way. If I stop now, then she wins. And if something happened to you, I would never be able to forgive myself. Anyway, truth be told, I have actually started to enjoy doing it…"

"Ok, Sonny…"

"Don't, ok, just don't. That name was embarrassing…"

"You think? Trust me… My first pet was a dog called Buck, and when I got him, we lived in Rodgers Avenue…." Flint stared at Beats for a moment, and then burst out laughing; he laughed so hard tears began to stream down his face. Beats joined in, and the two of them were still laughing when their pizza arrived.

Watching over them from above, Wes smiled to himself too as he thought about Beats and Flint. He had to admit that they had never really given him much cause for worry or concern prior to this moment, but now he realised that behind the calm, no worries front that they had always both displayed from the moment they had joined the Warblers, lay deep fractures, old wounds and trigger points. Flint was the only child of a domineering mother, who wanted to control the life of her son; use him to further herself in her position in the small Jewish community of her home town. But for all of its charms, Manhattan, Kansas, could never be home to Flint Wilson. It was too small and too insular. He needed to be free, like a caged bird longing for the open skies. The rupture had finally come, and the days when his main priority was keeping his mother happy were finally over; or so Wes hoped. All the lies that he had told to help him maintain his double life had taken a toll on him, not that he would ever admit it; Wes could see though that if it wasn't for the constant support of Beats, then Flint would have cracked under the strain long ago.

Beats himself was a different story. He could easily have told his parents that it was his college fund, and kept the money to himself; forced his sister to move back home with her children. But he loved her, and his niece and nephews too much to just uproot them, and so he had placed himself in a deep hole financially. Wes knew that of the money that he had left to him, one third had already been spent in paying off the loans that he had been forced to take out to cover upfront college costs. He had the money from his job, of course, and that allowed him to live reasonably comfortably. He also sent a little bit to his sister each month. He hid that truth from Flint. Wes was also aware that this was not the only thing that Beats hid from his best friend. The other issue was one that Wes would have to find time to talk to Beats about in private. Like all secrets, it would come out in the end, and when it did, it would have the potential to shake the friendship of the two young men right to its very heart - not because it was a bad thing, but because it had been kept under wraps for far too long.

Wes turned his attention away from Princeton as Beats and Flint started on their pizza and focused on his own little apartment. He got up for a moment and headed over to the window, to stand and stare out at the lights, and the bustle of the city below. Even here in the afterlife, the city never seemed to sleep. He looked back into the room, over to the piano, and the framed photograph on top of it; the one of him and Thad in Central Park during the week that they had been alone together in the loft. It was strange to realise that it was less than a year ago it had been taken… Wes even now had to blink away a few tears as he thought of the man that he loved with his heart and soul. He walked over and took a seat at the piano, his fingers moving over the keys lightly. He was alone here - Kurt and Blaine were busy being married next door, and Finn was out on late collections. He suddenly realised that he was playing _Yesterday_ , the Beatles hit that he loved the most, and also the most appropriate in the situation.

On a whim, Wes suddenly decided to go and see what was happening in L.A. When he got there, he found Thad alone, just settling down with a textbook; and rubbing at his eyes as he read, something that Wes had seem him doing since they were at Dalton. "You really do need to go and get an eye test, my love," said Wes, as he materialised at Thad's side. "And before you protest, I know eye strain when I see it! If you don't get it checked now…"

"…then I might regret it later. I know Wessie, I know…"

"Plus I happen to think that you would look even more attractive with glasses; even more smart and intelligent."

"So it is less about my eyes, and more about the fact that you think spectacles are sexy," said Thad with a laugh. "Ok, for you, my one true love, I will make an appointment. If they say that I need glasses, then I will let you choose the frames."

"You spoil me, my little one."

"That's love for you. So, how are you, Wes, and be honest."

"Lonely, like you. Worrying about my flock, as ever. Flint and his mother problem came to a head today. He'll probably call you and tell you all about eventually. Just now though, I thought that you and I could watch one of our favourite films and just snuggle on the sofa, if you have the time…"

"For you, Wessie, I will always have time," said Thad, a smile on his lips. Moments later, he was curled in at Wes' side, as on the television screen in front of them, the opening titles of _The Life of Brian_ whizzed past.


	24. Sebastian Schemes

**Sebastian Schemes**

When Friday morning dawned that week, the start of May was greeted warmly by all of them; no-one welcomed it more than Flint, who would write off April 2015 as the worst month of his life so far. At the start of the month, he had hope and happiness; by the end of it, he had been through the mill, and was emotionally drained. His relationship with his mother had been turned upside down, and he had to agree with all of his friends, at least in private, that it was for the better. He had spoken to his father every night since the letter had brought the matter to a head, and their relationship was still more or less the same; but Flint could sense that his dad was disappointed in him for reacting in quite the way he had done, which had caused so much stress for his mother, and therefore his father. He had called his aunt again, and this time they had actually spoke. She had begun to apologise, but he told her that she had absolutely nothing to apologise for. After all he couldn't blame her; he could understand only too well why she had finally cracked and blurted out his secret; after all, he had done much the same himself. There had been tears at both ends of the line before their conversation came to an end; they ended up agreeing that it was stupid to let their moments of weakness destroy their relationship. Both of them knew that they would have to work far harder to repair the relationship with their mother and sister respectively - the damage there was much greater. The fact was that in spite of everything, Flint wanted his mother in his life, just on his terms, not hers. She was a stubborn woman though, and he knew that getting her to agree to that, or even to reach a compromise, might prove to beyond the combined powers of both her husband and her son.

In New York, the first day in May saw a distinct lack of partners at work in the diner. It was exam season for them all, and the next couple of weeks would be one of study and hard work; of performances and submissions. Michelle had known that this would be coming, and so she had worked hard on a rota that accommodated all of her staff, and catered for all of their needs.

The last day of classes for most of them had been Thursday; the one exception had been Nick, who had finished up the day before. On that day, he had been left alone in the loft with only Caleb for company, sat at the kitchen table with his nose buried in a textbook. The little cat seemed to sense that Nick was stressed, and came into the room, and jumped up to sit on his lap. Nick couldn't help but think that his presence should be annoying, but it was actually a strange comfort to feel his warmth. His hands strayed from his book from time to time to stroke Caleb's fur, and each time that he did so, he was rewarded with a gentle, contented purr for his pains. That was the way they remained that day. Caleb also helped Nick remember that he needed to eat - when his stomach felt empty, he would move, and start to miaow quietly. Nick would finish his page, and get up to go and get some food for him, or to pour him some milk, and while he was doing that, he realised that his own stomach needed filled, and made himself a sandwich. Nick was also fortunate in that his husband understood his situation; he had far less in the way of written exams. To his delight, he had to write a couple of essays on art theory and art history - and in the case of the latter, he was able to write about French painters. The books that he had acquired the previous summer in Paris, at some expense, suddenly came in very handy indeed, as he had told a sceptical Nick at the time. He said nothing though - Nick was stressed, and he could crow about it later.

In the absence of the usual staff, Elliott and Dani found themselves working long hours to fill in the gaps. They would as a consequence hardly be out of the place for the first two weeks of the month, and in return, the partners had agreed wholeheartedly with Michelle's suggestion that they be given the first two weeks in June off as a paid holiday, and that rather than being just duty managers, they should be formally recognised as deputy managers. After all, they both already worked full time, and they could easily run the place on their own with the experience that they had gained over the years. On that first day of May, they were both on duty to manage the place around the delivery of the much anticipated new coffee machine. This was going to be a difficult task, as they had to ensure that coffee was always available, in all of its varieties at all times. This meant that they had to relocate the machine; the shelves that had sat for years next to the old machine had to be dismantled, and their contents stored away whilst the new machine was fitted there. Then they had to conduct all the necessary tests on the new equipment, to make sure that it would work, and that it would be up to the standard that they had promised. Then, and only then, could they, after making one last cup of coffee with due ceremony on the old machine, dismantle the old faithful and put the dismantled shelves back up in it's old spot. They had planned well, and within three hours the whole job was carried out. The old machine was then sent on its way to a spot in a local museum.

As this was taking place at the diner, Sebastian was heading home to Murray Hill, his arms full of sheet music that he had borrowed from the library at NYADA. He had already completed his preparations for his drama and stagecraft classes; had submitted all but one of his written items. Now he just needed to choose the songs that he would perform for Carmen Tibideaux in his finals next week. True, it was a bit late in the day to be starting to think about it, but the benefit of delaying his decision was that he knew more or less exactly what all the other students would be performing, and therefore could ensure that he did not subject the Dean to yet another rendition of the same piece. He knew already, like everybody else at NYADA, what she detested. He had always had the ability to pick up an new bit of music quickly; it was just the choosing that was hard, and the fact that every single one of his friends was tied up with their own studies made it very hard to find someone that could advise him. He knew that he could always call on Wes, or even the current group of Warblers at Dalton if it came down to it. His best hope though was that either Kurt or Blaine would see that he was in need of assistance, and pop down to pay him a visit. The only drawback would be that the two of them would probably end up spending half of their time arguing about why the choices of the other were just so wrong for him.

He reached the top of the stairs to his basement apartment at exactly the same moment that Cooper opened the door to the house above, and took delivery of a letter from the mailman. Before Sebastian could call out a greeting, he saw Cooper's face pale slightly and take on a bewildered expression as he glanced at the handwriting on the envelope. Still saying nothing, Sebastian altered his course and climbed up the steps, to where Cooper had now torn open the envelope, and opened the letter inside. He was just about to speak when Cooper's eyes suddenly went wide; he started to moan and suddenly lurched sideways, falling down to his knees. He would have gone much further if Sebastian had not grabbed for him with his free hand. Cooper glanced at his tenant, his face now pure white, and then buried his face in Sebastian's chest, and began to sob. Sebastian was quite glad that the street was uncharacteristically deserted and that there was no audience to observe Cooper's breakdown. He carefully placed his sheet music pile just inside the still open door to the house, and then wrapped both of his arms round the crying older man, holding him close. He sat in silence as whatever it was that had caused the upset made its way through Cooper's system, just waiting for the moment that the other man's head finally lifted, and he could begin to speak.

When his head did lift, and he pulled himself back out of Sebastian's arms, he did turn to him in explanation. "They're coming….they are coming…they have no right to do this to me!" he said, his voice rising in volume as he spoke. "After all that they have done to me, to Blaine, they still have the audacity! But what can I do? I know them too well, Sebastian! All that he says, he will do… I'm sorry, this can't be making all that much sense."

"I am going to take a wild guess and suggest that it is your beloved parents that you are talking about?"

"Yeah. Apparently, Sue Sylvester told everyone, during her slot on the television after the news, that I was going to be a leading man on Broadway. They heard the broadcast, and now, and here I quote 'want to make amends for the differences of opinion that we have had, and reunite with me; to celebrate my triumph as a family!' Rot! Utter Garbage! They want to destroy it. They want to ensure that I don't succeed. My dad mentions how awful it would be if the newest star of Broadway was to 'push away his loving' - now, that's a laugh - 'parents as they attempted to apologise for their past misdemeanours.' They know the drama critic on the _New York Post._ He would ensure that the details of my rejection where in the gossip columns. Bad publicity is just that; people will not care one bit about all that they have done to me over the years. It will all be about what I, the star, rich with my inheritance do to them now. I don't really have much choice. If it let them come, and Lord knows how I could stop them, they will destroy me, and my life. I have to quit the part. I can't be Charlie Price. I have to quit…."

"Are you really telling me that you want your parents to win, Cooper? Let them dictate to you what you can and can't do for the rest of your life? If you bow down to them now on this one, where will it end? What if they ask you for money next; for your house; for your share in the diner? What if they tell you that you have to give up Grace because they don't approve?" Sebastian looked at the older man again, and then took one of his hands in both of his own. "If you do this, if you quit, then you will damage the show, as I very much doubt that they will be able to replace you just like that. Your reputation as an actor will be destroyed - it would be just like you had killed someone. Broadway would blacklist you, and then the name Hummel-Warbler will never appear on a pavilion in lights. You wouldn't just be letting yourself down though - you'd be letting down Kurt and Blaine…" Sebastian paused again, as he saw his words hit home. "Your parents are nasty, manipulative people, but you can't let them win this time. Let them come and try to do their worst! For every word of condemnation from them to the critic on the _Post,_ I'm sure that people like Carmen and Isabelle, two women that know you; two women that have a lot of influence too, will say much more. I'm sure that both of them will know the critic on the _Times_."

Cooper smiled weakly at the young man in front of him. "You are right Seb, I know that you are, but it gets worse… My parents are not coming to New York to stay in some hotel…they have invited themselves to stay here, in my spare bedroom. I will have them around me 24/7. There will never be a minute of privacy or peace from them. It will be like I am a teenager all over again, only this time I will not be able to just run away to L.A. Having to see my father at breakfast, having to watch as my mother gradually gets more drunk as the day goes on… Plus it means that I have to inflict them on Grace, and yes, you and Dave. How do I even begin to tell her that her worst nightmares are about to become true?"

"You know, I think that Grace will be more than capable of handling them. After all, her father was never going to win parent of the year either. Fact is, if you don't let them come here, then your father will probably go straight to the media with it; he will even try and say that your mother's alcoholism is down to Blaine's death and your cruel rejection, whereas everyone in the Warblers knew all about it from the day that Blaine was a member. So let them come, and we drive them away! There must be something that can be done that will leave them with no other option than to leave. After all, if Grace did something, then the media could not attribute it to you…"

"Problem is, Grace would never agree to do something nasty enough willingly. She has a career too, and I would never forgive myself is she ended up being hurt by this. The big problem is that my father is too thick skinned to be hurt by verbal abuse, my mother usually too drunk these days to notice. It would either have to be physical abuse, which we definitely cannot risk, or… well, I don't actually have an alternative to offer!" He sighed again, and looked down at the letter in his hands.

Sebastian could feel the pain radiating off of him. This had knocked Cooper for six. It pained him to see the confident and cheerful man that he had known be reduced to such a state of misery. He hadn't see him as bad as this since Blaine had died…

And then it came to him. Thinking back to the broken shell that had been Cooper Anderson in the immediate aftermath of his brother's death. How he had been reduced to a tear stained wreck by the news. He had been the only one of the Warblers that was in Ohio on the day that they all found out that Blaine was gone. Wes had been at Harvard; David and Thad in L.A.; Niff in Chicago; Trent in Washington. He had been the last one of them that had spoken and seen Blaine, on the previous day. His first instinct on hearing the news had been to run and hide; to grieve for the young man that he had feelings for once in private. That was what the old Sebastian would have done after all. Instead, after a night lying awake in his old bedroom in his father's house, where every time he drifted off to sleep it was to dreams of Blaine with a gun, he had left the house and driven back to that house in Westerville, to find it deserted, but with the back door open.

He had known where to go next instinctively. He had allowed Burt Hummel to pull him into a hug, had even broken down in his arms for a few moments, before he had pulled himself back together, and gone to sit next to a sobbing Cooper, placing an arm around his shoulders, as the older man had clutched onto a bowtie, a framed photo in his lap. Sebastian had blamed himself for all of it, and so had Cooper; events that neither of them had any real control or influence over. Now he realised that he knew a way to dish out a little misery and pain to the people that had made their sons lives a living hell for years…

"Psychological abuse," he said quietly. "We attack their mental state; drive them to the point of madness. It's the best way, and let's both be honest here, they deserve it."

"I don't get what you mean exactly, if I am honest," said Cooper. "Are you suggesting some kind of torture of the mind, because I am not quite sure what you are intending by that…"

"We use their weaknesses; if you think about it, you will see that they both have them. Your father is a control freak, who likes everyone one and everything to bend to his will at all times; that relentlessness notion has driven your mother to seek comfort in the gin bottle. If she is not troubled, then he is fine; if she starts to react, then he gets angry, and his need for order is not served. So, let us imagine for one moment that your beloved mother saw a ghost in this house, a spectre that was haunting her…"

"She would scream the place down," said Cooper with a chortle. "She has always had a terrible fear of all things supernatural. If she suspected that this place was haunted, then she would certainly refuse to stay here. The problem is, this house isn't. Never has been, and she is rational enough that she will not be fooled by rattling chains, moans in the night, ghostly apparitions projected onto the wall from a projector…"

"Oh, we could get a ghost though… After all, we both know several people that have passed on, and still walk on this earth some time after the fact…"

"True, but one snag - she can't see them. Trust me, Blaine knows. He and Kurt tried to haunt my parents when they discovered the truth about the trust funds, but she didn't even see them when she was sober, and they were stood right in front of her. In fact, she ended up walking right through Blaine, and he tells me that is an experience that he never wants to repeat, because it hurts."

Sebastian smiled, and then it morphed into the smug smirk that had been seen so often in his Junior year at Dalton. "I know that she can't see Blaine, but what if instead she saw 'Blaine'? Ok, I am being a bit cryptic here; what I am saying is, what if she thought that she was seeing him, but she really wasn't?"

"That's not much help Sebastian. That sounds like one of those strange foreign riddles."

"But you do agree that she would head for the hills if she thought Blaine was haunting her?"

"Her and dad."

"Good!" Sebastian dug out his phone, and began to scroll through the photos that were stored on it. He stopped at one that had been taken the previous June, and turned his phone round to show the image to Cooper.

The latter looked at it, and his eyes opened wide. A grin began to spread across his face, and he had to fight hard to stop himself from bursting out in a peal of wicked laughter. "Mr Smythe, this has to be the most dastardly, evil plan I have heard in a long, long time. I almost could feel sorry for them if it wasn't for the fact that they are using the same level of blackmail on me. I should be appalled, naturally, that someone could even suggest stooping so low, if it wasn't for the fact that I find the whole idea absolutely brilliant! If, of course, we can actually get them on board…"

Sebastian smiled warmly at Cooper. "If there is one thing that I am sure of in all of this, it is that we can count on that. We will need to pay expenses, naturally…"

"Be my pleasure…"

"…and it goes without saying that we tell as few people as we possibly can about what we are planning; Grace and Dave will have to be told as they live here, but maybe we should leave it at that?"

"We should tell Nick and Jeff. I trust them both to say nothing, and we do need to have a refuge for him should the whole plan start to unravel - they have met him after all…"

Sebastian looked back at the picture that Dave had taken for him, of himself, Niff and Trory in Paris last year, with his old friend François Girard. "Yeah, that's maybe a good idea. I'm sure that they will love this scheme as much as we do. But if we are intending on using the loft as a refuge, then Mike has to be brought in too. Now, François has paler skin than Blaine, but that can be attributed to the pallor of death. We will also need a lot of hair gel, but everyone knows that Blaine used the same brand all the time…"

"The raspberry scented one; oh, she will smell that too; brilliant!"

"As for clothes, well I am positive that we can find a Dalton uniform in the correct size. So what your drunk mother will see will be her younger son, deathly pale, looking at her with those sad, puppy eyes, before bowing his head and walking away."

"I would give her at most two days of that, and she will be screaming at dad that they have to leave! Sebastian, call him now! Tell him to get here! I'll fly him here first class. The irony is, they are coming here for a show. Well, they are going to get one, just nor the one they expected!"


	25. The French Doppelganger

_For those that require it, there is a note for a translation at the end..._

 **The French Doppelganger**

Sebastian resisted the temptation to laugh at the almost maniacal expression that had come onto Cooper's face as he said those words. He did a quick calculation in his head, and realised that it was just a little too early to call Paris, what with the time difference, as François would probably still be in his classes at college. So Cooper had to be content for now with a quick text being sent, asking that he contact him when he was home from school, and was able to call and Skype with his old friend - after all, an ordinary telephone call from France would please only the telephone companies. Cooper insisted that Sebastian come in for coffee; that the errand that he had been about to embark on when the terrible missive had arrived could easily be placed on hold. It was the very least that he could do after he had come up with the solution to his biggest problem. Gathering up the pile of music again, he went to sit at the table in Cooper's kitchen whilst the coffee was made, and joined by a sandwich as they both realised that it was lunchtime. Whilst they waited on the coffee machine to finish, Cooper started to leaf through the music that Sebastian had brought with him uninvited. It was the usual mixture of Broadway standards, modern classics and even to his slight surprise a couple of very up to date numbers. "I take it that this lot is for your exams at NYADA? I see one show missing though. Did you consider doing one of my numbers? Bring a little bit of Charlie Price magic into the round room at NYADA? I mean, if you are good, then maybe you could get my part one day - after you have finished school, and I have chosen to move on, naturally."

"Do you know, I hadn't even thought of that. I did grab a couple of songs from _The Book of Mormon_ , but maybe that would be a bit too controversial."

"I doubt it - NYADA is very up to the minute on these kind of things, and I daresay that Carmen will not hear too many students singing something from that. She will be getting all the old standards, that she has heard year in, year out, for decades. How she manages to sit there and not just explode with rage I do not know…" He paused to take a sip of coffee, then lowered his voice. "Do you really think there is a chance your friend will do this for me? I mean it is short notice, and he might have other plans…"

"If he does, they will not be anything near as thrilling as an all expenses paid trip to New York, trust me. He will jump at the opportunity to come here, and if he has to do a little bit of acting, then so what? As long as he can get an ESTA, we will be ok."

As if on cue, Sebastian's phone began to buzz as a message arrived. A quick check revealed that it was from François, saying that he was home, and had time to Skype now if he was free. Cooper happily offered his own laptop up, and so Sebastian logged in, then made the call. It connected, and a familiar face was soon on the screen. It still was a shock to Cooper even now - he was Blaine's doppelganger in everything but skin tone, his being so much paler.

"Bonsoir Guillaume! Ca va?"

"Oui, François, très bon ici. J'ai un ami avec moi aujourd'hui. Pouvons-nous parler en anglais à son profit?" _(1)_

"Of course we can. Your text made this sound as if it was important. What is going on?"

"First off, this is Cooper, the brother of…"

"…Blaine, your friend that died. The one that I resemble. It is nice to meet you…"

Cooper smiled, and replied. "It's nice to meet you too, though it is a bit strange…"

"It's Cooper that needs a favour," said Sebastian. "Basically, his parents are like mine…"

"Douchebags?"

"Yeah, but ten times worse! They are coming here to New York with the sole intention of destroying his life. We need to stop them. It has to be something that would totally freak them out. Like the appearance of the silent ghost of their youngest son."

"That would certainly scare me, if I was them…Wait, mon ami, are you suggesting…?"

"François, you look so much like him that it scares me, and I know that you aren't him," said Cooper. "I am prepared to fly you here, first class, and find you somewhere to stay for a couple of months, so it is a holiday, not just a service visit. In return, whilst my parents are here, you will have to dress in a Dalton blazer, scare my folks, and worst of all…"

"You would have to use copious amounts of hair gel," said Sebastian with a smirk.

"Urgh, gel. That is - well, it is horrible. I did have a plan to go away with a friend to his uncle's farm, and get paid to help him, but I think that two months, in New York, all paid for, sounds like a lot more fun. Count me in, as long as I can get my papers."

As Sebastian explained to his friend all that he would need to do, it was all that Cooper could do not to jump up and dance around the room. The plan was in motion. So engrossed were they in their organisation that they had failed to notice the draught from the hallway for a second time…

A short time later, Kurt was with his mother and Finn, seeking advice himself. He had found out, quite by chance, what was intended by Cooper in New York. He had just happened to drop in on him to see how he was coping with the build up stress; he had landed in the hallway. Then he had heard the voices in the kitchen, and he wandered over to the door, fully intending to step in and see who was there with his brother-in-law. Then he had heard the Anderson parents mentioned, and he was all ears. He heard every word that Sebastian said; he knew that he should have told them he was there, but he had instead left, facing a dilemma.

He could see exactly where Cooper was coming from; admire Sebastian for coming up with the whole grandiose scheme; and secretly, he had to admit that he would love to be a fly on the wall at the moment when Pam Anderson was confronted by the 'ghost' of her youngest son for the first time. He also knew though that Blaine had absolutely no desire for revenge on her; his father was a different matter entirely, but he had nothing but sympathy for his mother. A combination of a bad marriage and a dependency on alcohol had made her what she was. He knew that he had to tell Blaine what was going on, but… Given that they had been forewarned of a trauma for Cooper, Kurt had taken the decision to hide all of Cooper's activities from him; he had even been the one that had sent Blaine off to visit Sam and see how he was doing with his forthcoming exams, when he had announced that he intended to take a trip to the theatre to see how his brother was doing. He had managed to weave himself a bit of a tangled web, that was for certain…

So he poured out the whole story, watching as a big grin appeared on the face of his stepbrother, and a frown appeared on his mother's. When he had finished, there was a short pause, and then Elizabeth spoke. "You know of course that should have told them that you were present, Kurt? It is not in our remit as angels to eavesdrop; but I daresay that if you had told them that you were there, they would have let you know anyway… You have to tell him what is going on, Kurt. A marriage is built on mutual trust, respect and above all else, honesty. I would think that the best approach would be for you to pay a visit to your brother-in-law; let him know that you are aware of what is going to happen, and then the two of you can tell Blaine together. I know that this scheme will cause him a lot of upset, but maybe not as much as you fear. He won't like the idea of his parents attempting to stop his brother achieving his dream either. So, the sooner, the better. Go and visit Cooper again. That is my advice. I take it though that Finn will also have an opinion."

"Can we watch? It will be like when we haunted Hunter, but less tiring. Although, maybe we could help too - maybe move things about a bit, just to scare them all the more?"

"I will pretend that I did not hear that boys. Just bear in mind that all of this will be quite upsetting for Blaine." Kurt nodded, and took his leave, heading back to Murray Hill.

He spoke to Cooper, who was slightly annoyed that Kurt had listened in, but he had to agree that Blaine needed to be informed. They arranged a time to have the necessary chat later that day, when Cooper was sat in his dressing room between the rehearsals and the main performance of the day. When the time came, Blaine was all smiles as he arrived, but one look at his brother's face had him frowning. Cooper said nothing, just passed him the letter. As he read it, Blaine's face first became etched with anguish and pain, and then gradually became suffused with bright read as his anger grew. "Ok, first things first - I knew that something bad was coming up for you, but this... How can they do this!? Actually, I know exactly how he can do this… It is revenge for the court case, for you cutting them out, for all the negative publicity. What are you going to do Coop? Please tell me that you aren't going to quit…" His brother sighed, and took his hand, and slowly told him. "That is actually pretty clever. I goes without saying that this is Sebastian's idea; it is sneaky, and slightly evil. Dad deserves it…but I worry about mom in all of this. What if this is the final straw that sends her over the edge, Coop? You have to promise me that if she starts to react badly, that you will stop on her, and just work on dad."

"That goes without saying, Squirt. I know how you feel about her, and I would never want to hurt her either."

"Cool. Now, dad won't actually be too scared by my mere presence. He will need something more…. Maybe I could pop over and scrawl a few messages on the walls. Write across all his business paperwork, and on the steamed up bathroom mirror."

Cooper laughed and nodded, ignoring the gleeful look that had appeared on his brother's face as he had begun to plan his own revenge…

It fell to Sebastian in the end to organise the flights for François, once they had secured all of his paperwork. He was of course at college and like his counterparts in the United States, he was in the middle of exams. Fortuitously, though, he had one more week of them and then he would be free for his long summer holidays. A scan of the flights on offer found one on the Sunday morning immediately after that; he had declined the offer of one on the Saturday as he and his friends had plans on the Friday night to go out and celebrate the end of their exams, and he did not feel it would be appropriate to arrive at the security gates at Charles de Gaulle smelling of alcohol and probably more than a little drunk. Sebastian had to agree that this would not be a great idea, and as his arrival date would still be a good week before the Andersons descended on them, it meant they would still have plenty of time to school him in the art of being Blaine. He looked the part, but in the end it would be the subtle mannerisms that would scare his parents the most, not just the scent of raspberry hair gel. It did occur to him that it would be no bad thing if from the moment that they arrived their was a subtle smell of raspberry to the whole of Cooper's house, to give an initial jolt to the sub-conscious of Mrs Anderson at least.

"You do know that I can't possibly approve of what you are going to do to them," came a voice, and Sebastian looked up to see the angel in question leaning against the door jamb, his arms folded tightly across his chest. "It is cruel, mean, evil, and reeks of the behaviour of the old Sebastian."

"Which is of course why I approve of it wholeheartedly, just not in public," said Kurt as he appeared from behind Blaine. "My dear husband still feels guilty about doing this, though admittedly only to his mother. He loves her, despite the way that she treated him towards the end."

"She was lovely once, before she started to work with dad, and then proceeded to make close friends with the gin bottle… But yeah, if it is going to help Coop, then I guess…" said Blaine with a sigh. "I have to admit I admire your plan for who devious it is. It is rather fortunate that we happen to know my doppelganger. So, I know that he can't see me himself, but when he gets here I could pop down when you are training him, and stand behind him, do the expression that you need, and then you can actually perfect it with me on the spot."

"That will be all kinds of weird to see - I mean, two Blaines! Yeah, let's do that, and maybe I won't let anyone else know it is happening, so they can walk in and freak out."

"Is that advisable? Wouldn't François wonder why people start to scream when they walk in?" Sebastian just smirked and then winked. That would be half the fun.

When Dave came home that night, Sebastian told him that they were getting a visitor. He looked worried when Sebastian said it at first, until he told him who it was and then he smiled broadly. He had enjoyed his trip to Europe last year, and had to admit that he liked François and his fiancé's other friends in Paris. They had after all managed to wind Seb up more than once and that was fun… Of course, Sebastian had to go on and tell him that the trip wasn't entirely for his pleasure, and told him the real reason behind it. Dave was angry that the Andersons would even have the gall to show their faces in New York; to come with the sole purpose of destroying Cooper at the start of his career as a Broadway star made it all the worse. He did not need to be told why François had been invited - it just suddenly came to him and he laughed out loud. It was like the plot of a film from one of the best directors in Hollywood - he just could not decide if it was a comedy or a horror. He guessed that depended on which person you were in the production.

Sebastian smiled, and then said, "Of course, it won't just be Cooper and Grace that will have their lives interfered with. Even though we live in a different part of the house, they will still try and get at us. Jonathan Anderson and my dad used to be close, so it wouldn't surprise me to discover that he had been asked to come and interfere in our happy home too… So, they do not cross the threshold, and not just because we will have a visitor that they must not see."

"Particularly when he is not in character, so to speak. It won't be easy for him. He will be cooped up in here, all the time. So we get plenty of books and dvds for him. Try to ensure that one of us is here all the time, and when we can't be…"

"…we call in Niff, or Sam. I think he needs to know what is going on too. After all, he and Cooper are like brothers…"

It would be Sunday before Sebastian and Dave were able to share the details of the operation to bamboozle the Andersons with the other three. Nick was deeply into his reading, faced with exams every day of the following week; Jeff had only two written exams, but he did have a couple of days when he would be given only a few hours in which to complete a piece of work on a subject that he was unaware of until the moment that he and his classmates walked into the room. The drawing one did not phase him in the least; the other one, where he would have to work with clay, did. He had opted to take that class to keep the authorities at school happy, but it did not come easily to him. Whereas figures and objects just seemed to flow from his pencil onto the blank sheet of paper, his clay sculpting would best be described as 'interesting'. He had therefore spent most of Sunday morning working with clay in the kitchen, where he would not disturb Nick, working hard on the finer points of constitutional law in the living room. Mike was also studying for a dance theory exam, and had retreated to the quiet of his own room; he would not have disturbed Nick, but he did like to test out the theories, and there was a risk that he might misjudge a move and hit Nick in the process. Caleb meanwhile had opted to sit curled up on the sofa, far away from Mike's flying feet and the sticky mess in the kitchen. He knew that when hunger came, as it often did to kittens, he only had to miaow at Nick, and he would instinctively get up and fetch him some food.

So absorbed in the their tasks were the three of them that when the loud knock came to the front door at six, it gave them all a start. It also made them realise what time it actually was. Mike went to answer the door to be confronted by Sebastian; behind him, Dave was in the process of dragging Sam out of the other loft. "We've come for dinner," Sebastian announced, "and given that you will all probably have been too busy with your studies to even think about it today, we took the liberty of bringing pizza." Mike just nodded, and stood to one side to allow the other three to enter, Sam still protesting about being dragged there. Sebastian initially headed to the kitchen, but took one look at the surfaces, and the clay splattered Jeff standing in the middle of it, and decided it was best to head straight to the living area. "Ok, Nick, take your head out of your books. I bring pizza; three of them to be exact, including your favourite. So get over here, and eat. No arguments. Jeff, clean yourself up a bit and get in here now. You know how Nick can be with a Chicken, Bacon and Mushroom deep pan…"

"Just because I like it…" said Nick.

"…you eat more than half of one, and I get none!" finished Jeff, walking in still drying his hands, a stack of paper napkins in his pocket - after all, using plates and cutlery with pizza was sometimes out of the question. He sat down next to Nick on the couch, carefully lifting a protesting Caleb out of the way. Soon, all of them were eating in silence, four of them sharing two, and Niff sharing one, giving terrible glares at anyone who dared to come near theirs with a frown. They did pick off the occasional bit of chicken or bacon and feed it to Caleb though.

As they neared the end of the pizza, Nick went to the kitchen, shuddered on the threshold at the sight he saw, and then with a sigh carefully went to open a cupboard to bring back a box of homemade cookies. Jeff was not permitted any, however, until he had cleaned up the kitchen, and even his threats of filing for divorce would not budge Nick on that one - and having seen the room for themselves, the other four backed Nick up. Mike and Sam did volunteer to help Jeff though, and soon he was sat eating cookies curled into Nick with the others. It was then that Sebastian swore them all to secrecy, and revealed the reason behind his visit. He had no qualms about bringing Mike in on the secret; he was the soul of discretion, and could be trusted to keep it to himself. They listened as Sebastian told the tale, and when he had finished, they all agreed that the Andersons deserved everything that they were about to get. Sam would still be permitted to visit Cooper, just to provide him with moral support, but Mike stated that it would be best if he stayed away, given his role as a UPS man in the past… They had all almost forgotten about that moment, and so they relived it again on the Youtube video. It had seemed terrible in the past, but it would be mild in comparison to what they were about to do now. The box prank was just a showing up; this was going to be mind bending.

 _Notes_

 _(1) Translation to English  
_

 _"Good Evening Guillaume! Are you well?"_

 _"Yes, François, I am very well here. I have a friend here with me today. Can we talk in English for his benefit?"_


	26. Testing Times

**Testing Times**

The first week in May was one that could be written off socially for all of the partners. At virtually every college it was exam season, and books took priority over friends. It meant that they did not see as much of each other as normal - even those that lived together or across the landing from each other in Bushwick did not see their friends, except in passing on the stair, or briefly at breakfast. The amount of junk food that was being consumed also hit an all time high, though Nick had thought ahead and had frozen a few things, in individual portions, that just required reheating. He had lamented the need to make things up by portion, but he realised that the homely sit down meals that they normally shared would be impossible. On one horrific day in the middle of the week, Jeff was not even home from his full day practical exam when an exhausted Nick fell asleep - in the morning, Jeff was by his side in the bed, but he only had time for a quick kiss on the cheek as he hurried to an early morning exam of his own. Jeff would later admit that he had seen more of Mike than of his husband that week, and it had hurt. The same picture was being repeated in Washington DC, exacerbated by the fact that it was Trent's second year, but Rory's first. They were fortunate that Carole decided to take up residence in their kitchen, and saw that they had nutritious food. It did mean that Kurt had to keep a close eye on his father - both he and Carole knew that if they didn't, Burt would be straight back on the bacon. In L.A., Mercedes spent the whole of the week in the studio, knowing full well that as third years, David and Thad would not be around that week. Even the regular patrons of a bar in Princeton knew that the Preppy Boys would be absent - education had to come first.

From his vantage point in Elizabeth's office, Wes kept close eye on all of his boys, watching out for any signs of stress in them or in their relationships. This meant keeping an eye on Oxford and Cambridge too, as both Ethan and Drew began the final exams of their three year degrees. They still had to make the decision as to whether they would stay on for another year to move up to the next level in the UK; graduate; or finish another year back at a school in the states, almost certain of a place in an Ivy League school. Drew was keen to stay on at Oxford, but Ethan was less sure. He was tempted to head back, having been offered places at Princeton, or in another Cambridge at Harvard. He hadn't told Drew how he was feeling yet, because there was a part of him that felt slightly guilty at the idea of leaving his best friend alone in England. He knew that he had built up a close circle of friends at oxford; they were good people, and he had liked them all when he met them. He also guessed that there was one girl in particular in the group that he had grown very close to, and she might be the reason that he was so keen to stay on. He hadn't developed as many friendships himself in Cambridge, and those that he did have were nowhere near as close as Drew's. he found too that he was a more frequent participant in the Warbler Skype group chats, even if he did have to get up at 3am to take part. He missed his bird brothers so much, and that was why he wanted to head home. If he went to Harvard, he would have Mitch for company - they had always been quite close; at Princeton though, he would have Beats and Flint in town, and the prospect of Niff, Sebastian and Trent all within a short travelling time.

It was to Cambridge then that Wes found himself heading that week, on the day before Ethan's first big exam. He was supposed to be studying, but in practice all he was doing was sitting and staring straight ahead at his bulletin board. On the board were pinned a number of photographs - himself and Drew on New Year's Eve in London; next to it one of the two of them at Niff's wedding; and finally one of all the Warblers at the same event. It held a special place in his heart, in all their hearts, as it was the last group photo with Wes…

"It turned out well, didn't it?" Wes said as he suddenly appeared at Ethan's side, leaving him feeling slightly shocked. "That night, you nearly died; the next day, I did. Drew saved your life that night, and would have been happy to have died in doing so. He would want you to be happy. He would want you to go home. He'll miss you, but he'll understand. You can still Skype, or E-mail. Because we both know that he is going to stay. He has made the decision, he just doesn't want to tell you. He loves Lucy, and she loves him. As she is studying medicine, he is going to be staying here for a while yet."

"So our bromance must end. Which makes me so very sad, Wes! It's been so long… But you are right, I don't want to stay. Problem is, how do I tell him that?"

"I would suggest that you do need to tell him soon, and face to face, not over the phone or on Skype. Arrange to meet up in London as you usually do, find somewhere to sit down with a drink, and just tell him the truth. That you need to go home. I know that you miss your family, even though you would never admit that to their faces. You are lucky; you got a decent pair of parents and great siblings, unlike it would appear the vast majority of my little flock. I sometimes wonder if that was one of the things that bound us all so closely together…sorry, I'm straying from the subject. So, yes, tell him soon. Meet up, and just speak from the heart."

"You make it sound so simple, Wes, but it isn't. He's my best friend; he knows all of my little secrets, and he is the only person that really knows how to comfort me when it all gets too much. I know that it isn't going to be a complete goodbye; we will still be able to Skype, but it won't be the same as being able to jump on a coach, meet up, and talk nonsense for a few hours…"

"If he is your best friend, and I know that he is, then he will also know that you have to go. He wouldn't want you to stay here for his sake and be miserable. He would want you to be happy. You just have to make a point of meeting up at least once a year - either you come back here or he comes to the States, and you spend a week just being yourselves together, as long as you are able to…. Eventually, life will tear you apart. I mean, look at me and David - Dalton's most epic bromance as Kurt used to label us. If it hadn't have been for the trial, then I would not have seen him between two Warbler weddings - but we coped; our friendship survived. So will yours with Drew. The only thing that can destroy a relationship is secrets. I mean, look at what happened at Christmas when Beats didn't tell Flint that he was working as a stripper, and Flint found out…" Wes pause, noticing the way that Ethan's jaw had dropped and his eyes were out on stalks. "Oh, so that particular bit of news hasn't crossed the Atlantic? That does surprise me…"

"Beats is working as a stripper…! I mean…he's a stripper!"

"In a gay bar in Princeton. A big draw apparently and earning a lot of tips. You will need to ask him why yourself though."

"Yeah, yeah I do. I need to know before I get there. After all, I am pretty certain that it is Princeton I am leaning towards."

"Well, ask him - but one word of advice; not before you talk to Drew! Whilst you are at it, you had best talk to Flint too. Let's just say he has some issues with his mom he needs to work through. Let them get their exams over with first, and then make time to talk to all of them." Ethan nodded, as his eyes were drawn back to the group photo from New York. It would be good to be back with so many of his Warbler brothers again…

At that moment in Princeton, Flint was relaxing, having just finished writing his final essay of the year. He decided that he had earned himself a short break before he hit the books for his exam tomorrow, he got up from his chair, stretching as he did so, and headed into the kitchen to grab a packet of cookies and a Coke. Beats was out, taking an exam of his own. They did share most of the same classes, but thankfully they did have one that they did not. People already seemed to think that the two of them were joined at the hip, and if it got around campus that they also had a double act at the weekends, then their lives could quickly become unbearable. He guessed sometimes that it as their unusual closeness that kept the girls away, not that he had ever had more than one quick date with one whilst he had been at college. "Study first," his father had said. "There is time for love later." He was right, and he guessed that being celibate to all intents and purposes had made his life easier.

Beats had been the opposite at first, and had played the field. There had been quite a few awkward moments in their freshman year - but then, as a result of everything that life had thrown at them, he had stopped. He knew that some of the girls thought that they were gay; he had overheard as much in the college gossip, but he didn't care. Flint often thought that it might have been easier if they had been, until he realised that the only difference would have been that his mother would have been seeking out a nice Jewish boy to pair him off with him instead. He did wonder how she was, having not spoken a word to her since the day that he had turned her nasty vindictive letter back on her. He did miss her, if the truth was to be told. She was a nagging, meddlesome woman, but she was his mother. Maybe it would be better for him in the long run to continue to ignore her, and wait for her to try and build a bridge. She would in time. After all, she would want to ensure that she was front and centre in all of the photographs when he graduated next year.

"I don't know if I would leave it to chance like that actually…" came a quiet voice from the back of the room. Flint turned to see Blaine standing in the doorway, a frown on his face. "I had a big fight with my mom too, you know. It was just after Kurt and I got together. I was so happy; everything was going just great and even my father's usual snide remarks didn't seem to touch me. My mom was pleased that I was happy, at least at first… Only she thought that when I told her that I had met someone that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, someone that had been a member of the New Directions, well she got it into her head that I meant Rachel Berry…"

"Wait, are you saying that your mom thought…"

"Yeah. I mean, I had done the whole bisexual curiosity thing after that one drunken kiss, and she had heard me saying on the phone, to Nick if I remember, that I had kissed a girl, and I had liked it… She didn't hear the bit at the start about the fact that I was way drunk at the time, nor did she know that my bi-curiosity lasted for…"

"…about three days if I recall. Your exact words on the fourth day being something like 'Kissing Rachel sober was like kissing a very wet fish.' Honestly, at the time we all knew that you thinking that you weren't 100% gay was a bit like discovering that the Mona Lisa had been painted by Beethoven."

Blaine smiled, and shook his head. "Ok, let's get back to the point here. When she found out that I was referring to Kurt, she stormed out of the house. Came back drunk several hours later, woke me up, and proceeded to call me pretty much every vile gay slur that you could think of. Told me that she would destroy the Hummel family. I told her that I knew enough about what my father got up to business wise to destroy them too in return. She left Westerville that night, and it was several months before I saw her again. It was finished that night though, our relationship. I saw her often, but she avoided me. I don't want the same thing to happen to you. Your mother tried to destroy you because she, in her misguided way, and out of love, felt that you had taken the wrong path in life. She has her ideas about how you should live your life, and like all mothers, she is convinced that she knows best. She won't back down - her pride will be hurt if she does that. So, as much as it will hurt, you have to be the bigger person and forgive her - just don't forget. Make it quite clear to her that you will live your life as you want, just don't lose her. I lost my mom - I got good substitutes in Carole and Elizabeth, but the rejection still hurts so much. I still love my mom, and I wouldn't want to see her hurt. I guess that all I have ever really wanted is for her to say that she was sorry. It's too late for me now, but it isn't too late for you."

Flint looked at his friend as he talked, noticing the way that his wings had drooped as he told his tale; the heartache also visible on his face. "I know that you are right; it's hurting my dad too as he is caught in the middle, and although she would never admit it, my mom and her sister not talking will be hurting her too. It isn't going to be an easy thing to do though, Blaine. Maybe once my exams are over I can take a short trip to Kansas, sit down with her face to face and just talk it out. Set the ground rules for our relationship as it goes forward. Mainly no more trying to interfere in my love life for starters! I will find a girl when I am good and ready; it isn't the old days, and there is nothing wrong with me wanting to wait. I want to do it, and so I will. I need to find the one - my Kurt if you like. The girl that makes my heart sing, and trust me, she isn't in Manhattan, Kansas! She needs to understand that I will do whatever I can to support my best friend and the other Warblers. Remind her that there are far worse things that I could be doing… I will apologise for the whole 'going into porn' thing, because that was a step too far. But she has to apologise to me too, Blaine. Once that has happened, then we can build on it. I will also need to apologise to my dad for all the stress that I have given him. Maybe if I got a printout of the diner's takings, show them how well my investment is doing… Do you know, I actually feel better for just talking about all of this…"

"That's what I hoped for. Now, go on, get back to your books! You need to pass your exams, or there will be no happy graduation pictures, and worse yet, your mother will have something else to attack you with."

Flint smiled, and mock saluted him. "Yes, sir! I take it you were channelling Wes there for a moment…?" Blaine looked at him, and then the two of them started to laugh.

At last, the final day of the examinations week came. On that Friday morning, Nick had another early exam, and hastened out of the door just before 7am to ensure that he would reach the exam hall in time. Mike was right behind him, as he wanted to get in some practice before his last practical assessment. That left just a bleary eyed Jeff in the loft, with only Caleb for company. He did not have to be at school until 10am, so he didn't see any harm in having an extra few minutes in bed… When he woke up at 8.30am to find his little cat maiowing at him, he saw the harm that it could do. He dashed around the loft, pulling some drawings out of one of his folders, wishing he had listened to Nick when he had told him to do it the night before; grabbing for his bag, and his coat, and then at the door, suddenly realised that he might be better getting out of his night clothes and into something a bit more respectable before heading out. In his haste, he ignored the plaintive noise coming from Caleb, who did not like the dashing Jeff, or the fact that he was not being fed! Then, dressed, hair tidy, and coat on, Jeff ran out of the door, past Caleb who had come to sit in the hallway, the door pushed closed as he thundered down the stairs…

Only the door did not fully close, and a minute later, as Jeff tore down the street in the direction of the subway, Caleb decided that the landing looked like a very interesting place to explore - and those steps heading down to the street were very inviting…

He didn't get far. Santana had an exam at NYADA, but her slot with Carmen Tibideaux was not until 11am. She was organised and leaving in good time though. As she walked out of the front door of the new loft, she noticed at once that the door on the other side was ajar, and then heard a miaow. She grabbed for Caleb just as he was about to step down onto the first step to the street. Shaking her head, she knocked on the door on the other side, and on getting no answer, walked in. She found the place devoid of life, but looking as if a minor hurricane had just swept through it. "Well, Caleb, I am guessing one of those boys was in a hurry, and you decided to try and take advantage when they left the door open to make good your escape. Much as I would like to help you, Jeff would kill me if I let you," she said to the cat, as she went in search of some food for him. This done, she took a look round, imagined what Nick would say when he found the place in this state, and with a smile, turned to go…

That was when she saw it. An open folder on the table, the drawer it normally lived under still pulled out. An open folder with a drawing that made her eyebrows lift on the top of it. "Wesley Montgomery….I would never have imagined you doing this…" she said as she headed over. She lifted the first drawing to take a better look, and gasped as she saw Thad on the sheet of paper below it… By the time she left the loft five minutes later, ensuring the door was locked firmly behind her, she had seen enough to give her blackmail material for years. Not that she would use it for blackmail; but she could have fun winding them all up…


	27. Fresh from France

**Fresh from France**

The long week of examinations was finally over, and for the majority of those concerned, there was a sense of relief that they had finally come to an end. True, they had to do it all again next year in every single case, and for several years to come for some of them. But for now, on that Friday night, they were free. It was summer, and unless there were any major mishaps, college did not have to be talked of again until August. They all marked it in their own way; Sebastian and Dave went out clubbing, joined by Santana and Brittany. Beats and Flint made a triumphant return to the bar as the Preppy Boys, and having been absent for a week, enjoyed their best night ever for tips. Nick and Jeff planned an evening for two at home, involving a shared bubble bath and an early bed. Nick arrived home first, and tidied up, having been sent an apologetic text by his husband, and then started to prepare dinner. Mike decided to join Sam at the diner, and the latter, on being told of Niff's plans for the evening, invited his friend to stay in the spare room. His friend agreed that this would probably be very wise; and so it was that the two of them ended up sitting side by side on Sam's bed, playing computer games, into the early hours, as if they were still back home in Lima. They had called Artie and asked him to join them, but he already had plans to spend the evening with Kitty.

In Washington DC, Trent and Rory began to search out suitable attire for their wedding; this of course meant that Kurt joined them first. As he and Trent discussed the merits of various fabrics for a summer wedding, and of the best designers, Rory found himself joined by Finn; Blaine and Wes were off dealing with a complicated collection. Finn knew that know that the discussion had moved on to clothes, someone had to be there to stop his young Irish friend being driven mad. In the end though, both Finn and Rory found themselves drawn into the discussion when it moved on to food, and more importantly still, what plans should be prepared for Rory's Nana. It was a discussion that ended up going on long into the night.

The following day saw Nick and Jeff eating a very leisurely breakfast, still in a very loved up mood, when Mike finally returned home. He was greeted first by Caleb, who purred happily as he wrapped himself around Mike's legs. Mike bent down and picked him up, then carried him through to the kitchen and took a seat at the table. It was a few minutes later when Nick finally noticed that he was there, and he got up to pour him a coffee. Jeff busied himself placing bread in the toaster, which, in a tribute to sheer laziness, now lived on the breakfast table. "Thanks for last night, Mike," he said, "Not that there was any real need to, as Nicky and I weren't too naughty…" He stopped as he noticed that his husband had gone bright red.

"Hey, it wasn't really an issue. Sam and I ended up having a Call of Duty marathon, but when we heard Santana and Brittany stumbling in just before three, we realised that we should probably get some sleep."

"So, anyway, if you and Tina ever want a quiet night in, just say, and we will go and crash with Sebastian," said Nick. "She will be coming down for the weekend when we will be at Dalton graduation anyway?"

"Yeah," said a sheepish Mike, his cheeks the same colour as Nick's had been a moment ago. "I've asked for the weekend off work, and Santana has made all the comments that you'd expect already."

Nick and Jeff nodded in deep understanding. "Well, we have to work to go to," said Jeff with a sigh. "I'm in at the diner for noon, and Nick has to be at the library for about then too."

"The place will be a lot quieter," said Nick, "but there will be a lot of books being returned and they will all need to be reshelved."

"I'm not due in to the diner until four," said Mike, "so I might go and take a bath and then try not to fall asleep…but if I am late for work Jeff, then that will be why!"

"Noted!" said Jeff with a smile as Mike yawned. He got up, and as he passed, he took Caleb out of Mike's lap. "I'm going to go and shave - and I have discovered that for some reason, my little friend here likes to watch that." He turned back, kissed Nick, and then disappeared.

"As for tomorrow," Nick began, "I have work again first thing; Jeff has arranged to go to the airport with Sebastian to collect François, and then we are all meeting up at the Spotlight for dinner. It will be good to see him again."

"It will be strange for the rest of us though," said Mike. "I recall that photograph and how weird it was, but the fact that he will be here in the flesh…it will be easier when he talks, I guess."

"Yeah, his voice is nothing like Blaine's. His English is delivered with a very French accent. I warn you now though, Tina is going to fall in love with him. So will Kitty. Just you and Artie thank your lucky stars that he is gay…"

At just after one the following afternoon, Sebastian and Jeff were standing in the arrivals hall at JFK, awaiting the Air France flight from Paris. It had arrived early and they knew that François, having been in business class, would be with them very shortly, having been amongst the first to get off the plane, and also having been fast tracked through security. They had not felt the need to prepare a sign with his name on it, as they had sent him the exact details, more or less, of where they would be waiting for him. What they did not expect as they caught sight of him was for him to have a member of cabin crew at his side, carrying his hand luggage for him. "Ok, what has he done," whispered Sebastian to Jeff, "I mean, I know that he was travelling in business class, but even then, you don't get escorted off the plane…"

Then they were spotted, and François was suddenly on the run, pulling Sebastian into a tight hug. "Guillaume, mon ami! It is so good to see you. It has been too long. You are looking well - and I apologise, you brought Jeff! How is married life, my dear friend? It seems to suit you…"

"It does, trust me," said Sebastian with a smirk as Jeff was pulled into a hug. "The two of them are sickeningly domesticated. They even have a cat…"

"Shut up, Bas! You love Caleb every bit as much as the rest of us. Plus, you and Dave behave like an old engaged couple…"

"Ah, this visit is going to be so much fun, mes amis. I can tell!"

"Ok, so I do need to ask," said Sebastian, as he noticed the steward that was hovering behind his friend, "why do you have an escort? What did you do on the plane? Please tell me you didn't join the mile high club…."

"Nothing! I was very good. I just got an upgrade as the flight was very quiet."

"Is it even possible to get upgraded from business class?" said Jeff, an eyebrow raised.

"With Air France, yes, particularly if it helps them out with an awkward issue, like a member of their staff being unspeakably rude to me at check in! More of that later. I take it that you intend that we travel back to the city by metro - sorry, the subway?"

"Yes, that's the plan…" said Sebastian, looking worried.

"Well, actually my friends, my upgrade comes with a further little bonus…"

Ten minutes later, Jeff was busy on Facebook, telling everyone that he was travelling in the back of the chauffeur driven limo that came with the upgrade, cruising towards Manhattan. They had not even had one of these on his wedding day - then it had been an upmarket car, but this was a stretch limo. Nick had already responded to tell him that he was envious as they drove along behind the tinted windows. He ignored the fact that François was talking about a friend of his at college who had hired a similar car for his 21st birthday, and what he and his four friends had proceeded to do in the back of it as they cruised along the Champs Elysees; even Sebastian was blushing at the thought. Jeff just stared out the window at the passing traffic, at the people staring at the car with envy.

In no time at all, they were pulling up outside the house in Murray Hill that would be François' temporary home for at least a few weeks. As the chauffeur came round to open the door for them, Jeff saw Grace cautiously appearing at the front door, and breathing a sigh of relief when they stepped out; she had feared that the Andersons had arrived early. Then François stepped out, and she felt her breath hitch for just a moment as she saw him for the first time. The photo had been scary enough, but the actual man was frightening, if you did not know the truth. To all intents and purposes, he was the mirror image of her dead brother-in-law.

After they had made introductions, the three young men headed down to Sebastian's apartment, and showed François to his room, which he instantly fell in love with. They left him to freshen up; to go online and let his friends and family know that he had arrived safely, and then to unpack. In just an hour he was ready to head out with Sebastian to the diner. Jeff was already on his way - he had a shift - but Sebastian decided to take François the scenic route, heading them uptown in the direction of 34th Street first; this allowed him to take a first few photographs for Facebook, the first on the corner of Lexington Avenue, with the Chrysler Building rising up behind him in the background; and then another with the Empire State Building doing the same. For a young man used to life in a relatively low rise Paris, the tall buildings left him entranced; but they did need to get to the diner, and so they headed down into the subway for a downtown train, and then a short walk that would take them to the wonders of the Spotlight.

At the diner, Jeff was up on the stage at the moment that he saw Sebastian approaching the front door through the plate glass windows. He was singing his heart out with Nick at his side. By now, their duets had become well known and popular amongst the regular customers at the Spotlight - they were quirky and unexpected, but always beautifully sung. On seeing his friends approach, Jeff tapped his husband on the shoulder, and gestured with his eyes towards the door. The two of them smiled, waiting for the moment that they walked in…

It was Mike that saw them next as they walked in. He froze to the spot albeit very briefly. It was just as if Blaine had just walked back in through the front door of the diner, in the company of the man that had once nearly blinded him. It was only his pale skin that made the two of them look any different. Moments later, Santana emerged from the office, and spotted them straight away. Her mouth fell open in surprise, and she turned to Mike. "Oh, my, God! Who is that with Sebastian? It looks like…but it can't be, because everyone in the room can see him…"

"It's François, his friend from Paris," said Mike, stepping up to stand at her side. "I knew that he was coming; I was sworn to secrecy, but now he is here… Remember that photo on Facebook last summer, and how we all thought at the time that they were so alike? It is even more striking in the flesh, isn't it? If his hair was tamed with gel, if his skin was just a shade more tan, then he would be Blaine…."

"Well, all I can say is that someone is going to have to warn Sam, unless he already knows about this? Let me guess, Nick and Jeff know, and they told you, and yeah, he already knows too…"

"He does know, yeah. No-one else knows about it, so I guess that we might have a squeal or two when people first see him, particularly from Rachel, Marley, Tina and even Kitty… Heck, I think even Artie will freak a little when he comes out here and first sees him." At that precise moment, the young man in question did emerge from the kitchen; he screeched to a halt, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. Mike shrugged and headed over to explain what was going on to his younger friend.

For her part, Santana walked over to the two young men, and smiled "Well, hello meerkat! Am I going to get an official introduction to the handsome young man at your side, or do I have to interrogate Dave about him later? "

"Of course I am going to introduce you to him, dearest Satan. François Girard, this is the one and only Santana Lopez, recently engaged to the beautiful Brittany Pierce. Santana, this is my oldest friend François. He is here as it is my turn to show him the hospitality that he showed to me and the boys last summer when we visited Paris."

"It is a great pleasure to make the acquaintance of such a beautiful young lady," said François, before taking Santana's hand and kissing it, causing her to blush furiously.

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine. I am sure that you can tell me a lot more about Sebastian and the misadventures of his youthful days in Paris…"

François chuckled, and then saw the stage, and who was on it, finishing their number. He walked away in their direction, as Sebastian turned to Santana, and said "All in good time, Satan. Just now, I want to show him how good the food in here is…" He paused as he watched his friend reach the stage, and pull Nick into a hug. "He has come a long way today, and he must be tired; plus we have a lot planned for him in the next few days."

Santana was studying Sebastian carefully. She had known him in one way or another for a while now, and she had spotted certain little traits; little signs that he was holding something back… "You know something, Sebastian? I am getting the impression that something is going on. Something just doesn't let me buy the whole returning the favour story, mainly why it is all such short notice…" She looked at his innocent face, and shook her head, staring right into his eyes. "Yes, there is something afoot, and I will find out what. You Warblers have a lot of secrets, don't you? I will get to the bottom of your secret, just as I have found out all about Niff's…" She walked away, leaving a confused Sebastian wondering what she was talking about.

In the meantime, Nick and Jeff had formally introduced François to Mike and Artie, the latter still slightly in shock. Then they had guided him to an empty table, knowing that he might well be hungry after his long journey. Sebastian joined him, and they decided to order him a dish of fried chicken with waffles; they had been looking for something that was very American, and this was certainly the best option. They followed this with a plate of pecan pie, with a coffee. All the time, the singing and dancing carried on around them, leaving the two old friends alone at the table.

"Mon cher Sebastian, I have to say that compared to what is available in Paris, the food here is not exactly haute cuisine, but it was magnificent, and the atmosphere is fantastic. So I take it that I will be meeting Cooper, my 'brother' soon?"

"Yes, but don't say it too loud. We don't want everyone knowing the truth. Niff knows, as do Mike and Sam, who you also meet later. But Santana and Artie don't know. Not yet. Though I dare say that in time, everyone will find out…"

It wasn't long after that when the door to the diner opened to admit the man in question, with Grace at his side, and Sam and Rachel right behind them. Of the four of them, only Grace was completely unphased when she came face to face with François. She had, after all, only met Blaine once and very briefly at that, whilst he was alive, on the day that the Warblers helped Nick liberate his belongings from their parents' house after his father disowned him. For the other three, it was a shock; all the more so for Rachel, who had no idea that he was going to be there; indeed, she nearly passed out with the shock, and only the quick movement of Sam prevented her from crashing down to the floor. Even for himself and Cooper, it was a moment. He was so like Blaine, at least until he spoke, and then his French accent gave him away as an impostor. It took a short while, but after they had sat down, chatted and laughed together; after he had charmed Rachel with his good manners and politeness; and after he and Sebastian had taken to the stage and sung together, they found that they could deal with the fact that he looked so much like the young man that they all missed so much. Even being able to see Blaine along with Kurt, Wes and Finn did not make the hole in their hearts any smaller. The one thing that the reactions of those that had not been pre-warned about his appearance did show to Cooper was that his parents were going to be in for a very nasty surprise when they arrived in New York…


	28. A Match for Santana

**A Match for Santana**

A surprise of a very different nature was awaiting Nick and Jeff. Sebastian had not felt that it was necessary to mention the thinly veiled threat that Santana had made to him on the Sunday evening when he saw the two boys at the diner. Therefore, as they woke up on Monday morning, they remained blissfully unaware that there was danger ahead. That all changed completely the moment that Mike left for a shift at the diner. He was no sooner out of the door than there was a sharp knock upon it, and without it being answered, it slid open, and Santana stepped in. Her arrival caused Nick and Jeff to pull apart from the deep kiss they had been enjoying with a sigh. They had been hoping for a few hours of private couple time as the second anniversary of their couple status approached.

"So, how are my two favourite married Warblers this fine May morning?" said Santana as she stepped into the living room, smiling broadly. That fact alone filled Nick with a slight dread, but before either he or Jeff could say a word in reply, she continued. "I was just wondering when you were going to say thank you to me for what I did for you on Friday?"

Nick turned to look at Jeff, and on seeing that he had as little idea as he had as to what she was talking about, he replied "What you did on Friday? I don't understand…"

"Well," Santana said as she took a seat on the arm of the couch by Jeff, "do you remember when you two lovebirds left here on Friday for your exams? You left first Nick, and then Jeff slept in, and had to rush out? Well when he did, he left the front door open a little way, and by the time that I stepped out of the door to head to my exam, young Caleb was at the top of the stairs, looking very interested in heading down them."

Jeff gasped, and went bright red. "Oh goodness, I didn't even realise… Thank you so, so much Santana for bringing him back in!"

"Oh, it was no problem, Jeff, not for that little cutie. We've all grown so fond of him. The thing is though, when I came in, there was a folder lying out on that table, and as I walked past, I couldn't help but notice what was in it… I guessed where it was meant to be hidden by the fact that the drawer was still pulled out, so I put it back for you."

Jeff had gone as white as a sheet; Nick turned to him, and mouthed the words "Not **the** folder!" - when Jeff nodded, he went as white as his husband.

"All that I can say is that Wes was a massive surprise; Sebastian not so much. I know now that Nick is a very lucky man, but then again, so are you Jeff - you really are very evenly matched! I could say more, but I guess what I really want to know is - how come only Cooper and I are absent from your collection of Warbler nudes?"

Nick whimpered, feeling that at any moment the entire world was going to collapse in on him - and that he wouldn't mind if it did. This was everything that they had dreaded since the first day that he had posed for Jeff. If only he had woken him up when he left; made sure he was out of bed; insisted that he had sorted everything out the previous night. But it was too late now - it had happened, and he knew that Jeff would blame himself for it all.

"Yeah, it is an omission Santana, but now that we are all out of school for the summer, I am sure that we can find the time to remedy that. So, when are you free to pose next week?"

Nick turned round to stare wide eyed at his husband. He did not believe that he had actually heard him right…

"Actually, Jeff, I'm not saying that I want…" began Santana.

"No, Santana, I insist! You as an honorary Warbler must join with the others in sitting for me! I've drawn several woman at school now, so there should be no issue. Just one thing - when I am here at home, I like to dress in the same way as my subject. When I did all of those drawings, I was as naked as they were. Isn't that true Nicky?" Nick nodded, still barely able to believe all that he was actually hearing. It was as if the world had gone mad…

Santana was by now looking distinctly uncomfortable, and had gone a lovely shade of red. She glanced at her watch, and said "Actually, look at the time! I need to go. We can talk about this some other time…" She got up and nearly dashed for the front door. As it slammed shut behind her, Jeff looked at a bewildered Nick, and then burst out laughing.

Nick looked at his husband with shock. For him, everything that had just happened had been worse than coming face to face with Dracula, and now Jeff was just laughing like a madman. At that moment though, Caleb trotted into the room, having been woken from his slumbers by Jeff's laughter, and jumped up on to Nick's lap, demanding his attention. As he stroked the kitten gently, Jeff's laughter died down, and Nick turned to his husband and said "What on earth was all that about Jeff? Are you telling me that you would actually draw her?"

"Never in a million years, Nicky. I would find having to do that ten times worse than drawing those women for school! I decided to gamble on the fact that for all of her in your face attitude, she would never agree to do it anyway - and by some lucky chance, I was right!"

Nick finally smiled at that, but couldn't resist saying "Well, it is either that or she just doesn't want to see you naked…"

"There is that possibility, I have to admit. Obviously she is not as much of an admirer of my natural beauty as you, my love."

"This is true…but the fact remains that she now knows about your whole portfolio of naked Warbler drawings, and someone is going to have to break the news to them all. I can't imagine that any of them will hate you, as you are just too lovable, but it might freak them all out, and they might shout at you for a while." Nick sighed, as Jeff nodded, his eyes downcast. He put an arm around him, and pulled him close. "I guess that we will need to start with Mike and Sam; then move on to Sebastian and Dave, as they are all in contact with her on a regular basis. I will go and make a quick call to the diner to warn Mike and Sam; then we had best go and see Sebastian and tell him face to face."

Nick lifted Caleb off his lap, and placed him on Jeff's, then headed into the bedroom to get his phone. Jeff for his part sat there quietly, gently stroking his little friend, and as he heard Nick's voice on the phone in the next room, he whispered to him "I am such an idiot, Caleb! If I had been more careful, been more organised, all this could have been avoided. Still, it could have been a lot worse - I could have lost you, and that would have broken my heart…"

Across the landing, Santana sat on the couch, catching her breath. It wasn't very often that someone got the better of her, and she had a sneaking admiration for the way that Jeff just had. She had no intention whatsoever of letting him draw her in the way that he had drawn his classmates and friends; she would have no problem posing for him one day though, with both of them properly dressed. She did feel a little bit guilty about the whole way that she had handled the situation, if she was honest. She really should not have gone through the whole portfolio; once she had seen what was lying on the top, she should have left it well alone; instead, she had given in to temptation, and she was ashamed of that. Still, those Warbler boys were pretty fit…

Her mind wandered to the other secret that she knew - Flint's double life as a gay bar stripper with Beats. Secrets had a habit of slipping out when people least expected them to; and someone else would eventually get curious, go searching on Google for images of Beats, and discover, as she had, that there were now two Preppy Boys. 'If I was Wes,' she thought, 'I would be trying to convince him to come clean this summer. After all, his Warbler brothers have no issue with Beats being a stripper, so why would they have one with Flint doing it too? Yeah, Wes, if you can hear me, you really need to set the ball rolling on this one!' After all, Trent and Rory would surely be having a bachelor party, and after the success of Sam's performance at Nick and Jeff's, someone might just suggest that they all take a trip to Princeton…

The other thing that was playing on her mind was what exactly was going on with Cooper. There was something going on, and she was totally sure of it. He had been whispering with Sebastian for half the previous night - and she was certain that both Grace and Sam were in on it too. It was less than two weeks to his big night; his official commencement full time in the role of Charlie Price. She had a hunch that it was all connected to that. Was it a coincidence that Sebastian's French friend was suddenly in town at exactly the same time? They could tell her as often as they liked that the whole thing had been planned for months, but she did not buy that story for a single minute. After all, if it had all been planned, wouldn't they all have been warned about his impending arrival, so that they would be more prepared? Instead, there had not been a single word uttered… 'Just why have you invited Blaine's doppelganger here, Sebastian? And how is it tied to Cooper, because my Mexican third eye is telling me that it is!' A quick glance at the clock on the wall told her that she needed to get ready for work. She could keep trying to fathom out what the link was whilst she was ribbing Sam and Mike about those wonderful portraits….

Meanwhile, in her office in downtown Manhattan, Grace Duval was waiting for the arrival of an envelope. It had been three months since she had made her way to the Probate Court of Middlesex County in East Cambridge, within a short distance of Harvard, and the spot where the life of Wes Montgomery had ended, and had stood there to represent the interests of those Warblers that had been named in his Last Will and Testament, and had graduated from Dalton. She had been joined in that position by the lawyer for Dalton Academy, there to represent both the interests of the school, and those young men that made up the current group of Warblers; and by a close friend of Carmen Tibideaux, more or less retired now, but happy to represent the interests of NYADA for no charge. The three of them had talked on the telephone beforehand, but this was the first time they had met. Across from them sat Mrs Montgomery, and her lawyers. She had objected to virtually every part of his Will, and those objections had only been intensified by the actions of her niece Michelle since his demise. Her case had been quite simple; he had not been in a fit state to write said Will, and indeed, she thought that it was very suspicious that such a young man had even possessed such a detailed document.

The case had been heated, with angry words exchanged on all sides. Mrs Montgomery had tried to demand that all those named in the Will should be in the court so that they could cross-examined. The judge had decided that this was an unreasonable request given that all of them were students at one level or another, and their education would be disrupted by having to come and sit in a court in Massachusetts. There had been argument after argument, but the evidence had been given, and that had seemed to be an end; a decision was promised for mid-March. It had been given, in favour of allowing the Will to stand. Mrs Montgomery had promptly demanded an appeal, even threatening to go to the federal courts if necessary. The case had been put up for review, and it was decided that it should be reviewed out of state. So the Will was placed before the Surrogate's Court in Manhattan, much to the dissatisfaction of Wes' mother, who had requested it to be sent to a court in Illinois. It had almost gone there, until an angelic word in her ear had caused her to do some digging. The fact that the probate judge in that particular court was a cousin of Mr Montgomery made for a great conflict of interest, and Grace had argued that it would potentially lead to a biased decision being made. It was no surprise to anyone that Grace Duval now came close to Michelle Lau in Mrs Montgomery's hate list.

There was a knock on the door, and an eager intern appeared, an envelope clutched tightly in his hand. He handed it to Grace, and she motioned to him to take a seat - she knew that he would be as eager as her to find out what was contained inside, having followed the case with her since the beginning. She pulled out the pile of pages, and skipped straight to the last one, which would give the verdict. She smiled broadly as she read the words 'decision upheld' in bold letters. There would be no further room for appeal; the Will would have to be honoured, and paid out in full. She wanted that done swiftly - the deadline that she had was the end of term at Dalton. The cheques had to be handed out by graduation day. She just hoped that this would be an end to it and that Mrs Montgomery would let the matter rest. Somehow, she didn't think that she would…


	29. The Start of the Plan

**The Start of the Plan**

For François Girard, the first three days of his visit to New York were spent in the company of Dave and Sebastian, with whom he did those things that every visiting tourist did. He visited the Empire State Building, marvelling at the vista of the city in front of him at every angle. They took him past the Statue of Liberty on the Staten Island ferry; paid their quiet respects at Ground Zero; strolled the entire length of the High Line - and then proceeded to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. All the time there were photographs being taken for him to post on Facebook; more often than not, they were taken by Dave. Nick and Jeff joined them separately on one day each, increasing the hilarity. It was Jeff that guided him through the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the third day, and he found in François an attentive and appreciative audience. They ended the day at Grand Central Station, a location which François had seen in so many films over the years. He and Jeff tried to recall all the films, but could not, and so they just shot more photographs, just as he had done with Nick outside the Public Library the day before, when François had pretended to be Jake Gyllenhaal running from the tidal wave in _The Day After Tomorrow_.

After that, they headed back to Cooper's, for an evening meal with a decidedly French theme, cooked by Grace with some help from her brother and Sebastian. It also happened to be Cooper's last free night before Broadway would take up all of his time. He had received a terse message from his father earlier that day, stating that they would be arriving in the city on Friday; would take a taxi from the airport, and he should expect them at noon. He therefore needed to ensure that he was at home to meet them, and no excuses about being too busy with his 'work' would be accepted.

"Je devine que votre père est… How do you say it - a douche?" said François, earning himself a laugh from everyone in the room.

"That kind of sums him up," said Cooper, trying hard to be serious. "This does mean one thing though. We need to start to prepare your act - and maybe we need to see exactly what you are going to look like…"

Whilst the rest of the party stayed upstairs in the dining room, Sebastian lead his friend down to his apartment, through the stairs that would once have been used by the staff, and were now well concealed. This was going to be one of the hardest parts of the whole thing - getting François into costume. He waited in the sitting room whilst he went to change - and then he felt the draught behind him. A glance in the mirror above the fireplace showed him that Blaine was standing behind him, with a very serious expression on his face. "Ok, Seb, I am here to try and advise you on his appearance, in particular with the gel." Sebastian nodded in response, as they both heard François call out that he was ready for his friend. They made their way to the guest bedroom, and stopped on the threshold. Blaine gasped at what he saw, and then whispered "This is so freaky! It is like having an out of body experience with myself in my sophomore year…" Sebastian could not reply without alerting François to the presence of someone else, and so nodded just a little. He could see where he was coming from - now that his old friend was sat in front of the dressing table mirror, in a full Dalton uniform, down to the Warbler pin on his blazer lapel, it was shocking…

"So, I can tell that the effect must be good - your face is a picture Guillaume.."

"Yeah, it is quite something," said Sebastian, recovering his composure, "and it is about to get all the more déjà vu for all of us." He opened the jar of raspberry hair gel, and after scooping a good quantity into his hand, he advanced towards his friend, with a determined look on his face…

Back upstairs, Kurt and Wes had joined the other five, all of them waiting nervously for their first glimpse of the transformation. When it came, it was a surprise; Sebastian had told François to make his way quietly upstairs, and then stand in silence in the doorway of the room until such time as he was observed by them. It was Jeff that noticed him first, and he absent-mindedly said "Hey Blaine!" before he heard the gasp from Nick at his side. It was only then that Jeff noticed that he was wearing a Dalton uniform, and Blaine had not done so for a very long time. Wes just stood in shocked silence as by his side, Kurt had frozen, his mind full of memories from a moment at a staircase in a school in Westerville so many years ago. As for Cooper, he had managed to stagger to his feet, and now was just shaking his head in disbelief - the likeness was uncanny.

"So, it is effective? I will do?" said François; and on hearing the words delivered in a French accent, they all relaxed.

"Oh, yes," said Cooper, "you will do alright! We need to train you in the exact stance and the correct gestures, but yeah, it is like the clock has been turned back four years, and my little brother is getting ready for another school day at the end of his sophomore year. If I didn't know it was you, François, I would be running out of this room screaming. My parents will not know what has hit them! This will show them that they shouldn't mess with me…"

Sebastian spent the next day coaching François in all things Blaine. All the little tics and traits that made up the boy that had been at Dalton were explained and rehearsed. He was assisted in the task by the man himself, and eventually Wes appeared to, as he put it, install those little elements of Blaine that only someone watching from the outside would see into their pale impression. It was Wes that struck on the idea of having François hum one of Blaine's favourite tunes very quietly as he walked around the house; the hint of Katy Perry would make it all the more real to his parents. They also rehearsed all the escape routes from Cooper's house back to Sebastian's apartment to avoid him being caught. It was, after all, a dangerous game that they were playing. If he did get caught, then the negative publicity against them would be massive, and Cooper's Broadway career would be as good as over before it even began. François was a very clever young man, and quite fleet of foot, so hopefully they would be able to avoid that sort of crisis. It essentially revolved around ensuring that both of the Andersons were in his sights at the same time, at all times. It was not an easy task, but by the time that noon approached on Friday, they were more than ready…

Cooper on the other hand was not. If the truth was to be told, he was very nervous about seeing his parents again, and worse still, about them actually living in his house, albeit hopefully for a very short period of time. He considered running away, and booking into a hotel for the next few weeks. Heck, Sam's offer of the sofa in the big loft seemed very appealing. After a quick pep talk from Grace on the phone, he steeled himself for the inevitable, and noon found him standing on the sidewalk outside his house awaiting the arrival of the two people that had brought him into the world. He could feel his blood running cold, and his palms were sweaty.

"Chin up, Coop! They won't be here for long. Sebastian and I are aiming to have driven them out of town by Tuesday at the very latest. Ok, don't look now, but there is a limo approaching… I have faith in you big brother; you can do this…"

The fact that Blaine had taken the time to come and whisper that in his ear made Cooper a little happier, but it did not last for long. The car drew up right next to him, and the first thing he saw was his mom sat in the back, looking slightly drunk already; and there, next to her, the cold unforgiving face of his father. He went to open the car door, a show smile plastered on his face - then he paused as he saw the look of shock on his mother's face. Her eyes were staring out and up, the colour draining from her cheeks as he watched. Cooper turned around to look at the same spot, and he saw François. He was standing at an upstairs window, his eyes downcast. If you knew that, it was not in the least bit frightening. For Pam Anderson, it was her worst nightmare come true. Cooper turned back, and knocked on the car window. His mother's eyes briefly turned to him, before returning to the boy in the window - but the window was now empty, and that seemed to worry her all the more. On seeing that, Cooper could only think 'Score number one to me!' That thought made his smile all the wider as he opened the car door and his mother stepped unsteadily out.

"Mother, father - I would say that this was a pleasure, but my friends have instilled the importance of honesty in me." said Cooper with a grin.

His father grunted, and for a moment Pam looked hurt; but only for a moment. "Not the best neighbourhood, but I guess that it could be worse. At least it is Manhattan," said Jonathan gruffly, his eyes full of distain for his son, and indeed for his wife.

"I did consider Brooklyn - after all, it was more than good enough for Blaine - and there were some nice houses in Harlem and the Bronx."

"I would thank you not to mention that name whilst we are here…"

"What, not talk about Blaine, my little brother…?"

"Yes, hearing that name just upsets your mother."

"Nice to know that the guilt settled in eventually, father," hissed Cooper. "Now she will now how I felt when he died under my watch when you could not be bothered to care."

Jonathan Anderson frowned at his son as Pam winced, then said "So, is that girlfriend of yours here - the legal clerk?"

"Grace is in court dad; it is what lawyers like her do, especially when their services are in such high demand. So she will have to wait for the pleasure of meeting you until this evening, once I have finished at the theatre. We both have working lives, and we can't just be expected to drop everything at a moment's notice when you decide to show up."

"So there is no-one else in the house?" said Pam, her voice low and with a slight tremble.

"No, mom, just me. My tenants are possibly downstairs in their own place, but they can't get into mine. Oh, by the way, father, can I just remind you that they are not to be disturbed. Why do you ask me that anyway, mom?"

"I thought that I saw…no, it's nothing…." said Pam, her voice fading as Jonathan glared at her.

'No, it wasn't nothing mom,' thought Cooper. 'What it was, was your worst nightmare made flesh….'

He brought his parents into the house, showed them to the guest bedroom, and made them some coffee. He then announced that he had to leave for his rehearsals, and he departed gratefully, leaving his parents alone in the house. At that moment that was indeed the truth. After his quick appearance at the upstairs window, François had headed back down the stairs to Sebastian, and now the two of them were sitting in the lounge, waiting for another chance for him to slip upstairs and make his presence known. They had left a tiny amount of the raspberry hair gel smeared under the dressing table in the guest bedroom; just enough that it would fill the room with an odour that would remind Pam Anderson at least of her youngest son. It was now all about waiting for that perfect chance - and one manifested itself quicker than they had anticipated. Sebastian was the one that heard the sound of the front door upstairs closing, and the footsteps on the stairs that led down to the street. The moment that he heard the familiar little squeak of the gate opening at the top of the steps that lead to his apartment, he had François up and out of the room, bundling him into the hall. The two of them stood there in silence, and sure enough, there was soon a firm knock on the front door. Checking through the spy hole, it soon became clear to Sebastian that Jonathan had ignored his son's clear instructions to stay away.

"Right," Sebastian whispered, "head upstairs and see if you can find Mrs Anderson, and just make your presence known…" His friend nodded and darted up the back stairs, letting himself out into the house above. He did not have to look very far to find Pam; she was sitting in the lounge, a bottle of vodka open on the table in front of her, a full glass clutched in her hand. François just stood on the threshold, cast down his eyes and began to hum a little Katy Perry…

Jonathan was hammering on the door downstairs by the time that he heard the ear-piercing shriek from the house above. He cursed loudly, and headed back upstairs. At the same time, Sebastian could hear the sound of François running back down, and he appeared in the room, slightly out of breath.

"Mon dieu, how she screamed. She knocked over the table when she saw me; then she froze, her eyes widened, and suddenly there was so much noise… I almost felt sorry for her," said François, talking loudly so that he could be heard above the noise coming from the house above. It was no longer screams that they could hear, but the sound of Jonathan berating his wife.

"Well, at least we know now that it is going to work. I thought that she had been attacked," said Sebastian with a smile. Then he pulled out his phone, and called Cooper. When he answered he told him how his father had come down to hammer on the door, so he had sent 'Blaine' upstairs to say hello to his mother. As he described all that had then occurred, he could almost picture the look of glee on Cooper's face…

At the theatre, that was exactly what was happening. He was grinning from ear to ear, and had to try very hard not to burst out laughing; his only regret was that he had not thought to conceal a camera in the room. Still, as Sebastian rang off, he sighed. His father had already ignored one of his explicit instructions, and they had been in the city for less than three hours. So he mustered all his acting skills, and perfected his best angry voice, one which sounded so like his dad that it frightened him. He called home; the phone rang for some time, and then was answered so abruptly that even Cooper was shocked. When he heard the terse "What?" he bridled, took a breath and then spoke.

"So my strict instruction to you was that you did not disturb my tenants, father, under any circumstances. Would you care to explain to me why I just got a call at the theatre from them complaining about a strange man battering at their door, rousing them from their sick bed? And also, who has been screaming their head off, because it can be heard downstairs too! It's not acceptable, dad!"

"Don't you take that tone…"

Before his father could finish, Cooper cut him off. "I will take any tone I like, dad, when it concerns my own house! You said that to me often enough when I was a kid! So, prey tell, why is mommy dearest screaming?"

"Some stupid nonsense about seeing your brother, in his Dalton uniform, standing in the doorway. She was drinking, of course, but it is still a worry. She is spouting some nonsense about seeing him when she arrived too. If she is going to lose her mind, after you became an actor, and that boy let me down, then I have had it! I don't know what I did to deserve this family!"

"Do you know, with the exception of Blaine, I often think the same, so there is something we have in common! I have to work, dad, and I don't need to be disturbed, so let me say it again, loudly and clearly - DO NOT ANNOY MY TENANT! Oh, and could you try and keep mom sober so she is less of an embarrassment?" Cooper hung up, and couldn't resist a little smirk…

When Cooper and Grace finally headed home that evening it was with a slight air of unease. Grace had stayed on in the office for an extra couple of hours, before heading to the diner for something to eat. She had no desire to meet the people that might one day become her in-laws without the protection of their son, given all that she had been told about them. Sam had been particularly forthcoming that night at the diner about things they had done in the past; but then his tone had changed and he had smiled broadly as he shared what had happened that afternoon with her. There was a part of Grace that felt that she should disapprove strongly with all that was going on, but she had found herself chuckling as much as Sam did. Life it seemed was going to be especially crazy this weekend, and for her, the shorter they could all make the Andersons stay, the better. If that meant her sending an occasional text to Sebastian to tell him that it was a good time to send François up for a visit; or if it meant that she had to distract Jonathan so that they could scare his wife, then she supposed she could agree to that. The problem was that Jonathan Anderson sounded to all intents and purposes like a carbon copy of her own father. At least her mother had finally had the decency to leave him when his rants over such a small issue as her son's sexuality had become far to extreme.

As Cooper and Grace mounted the steps to the house it seemed silent, with just a light glowing in the front sitting room. Just as Cooper put his key into the lock, a tirade of angry yelling erupted from within the house. They pushed open the door just in time to see the back of François as he disappeared down the hall to the back staircase. Shaking his head, Cooper closed the door as Grace walked into the hallway, and was then promptly knocked flying by a red faced Jonathan as he ran out of the sitting room in pursuit.

As she picked herself back up, being helped by a hand from a horrified Cooper, she could see that the man was obviously in a rage, having been startled by something. She knew exactly who, but she said nothing, and just scowled at him.

"Well, dad, what a perfect way to end what has been quite a day! This is Grace, my partner; Grace, this clumsy oaf is my beloved father. Would you care to explain why you are running around my house as if it was a race track? Ah, do you remember those words? How often did you scream those out at me and Blaine…"

"That boy was here! He was at that door, frowning at me!"

"What boy?"

"Your little brother, who else!"

"Ok, so Blaine was here…. That would be the same Blaine that shot himself through the mouth with your revolver nearly two years ago. The same Blaine whose broken body I had to identify, whose funeral you refused to pay for, let alone attend? Have you started to hit the bottle like mom…?"

"I am telling you, that boy was here! And you well know it - he never died, this was just some kind of scheme that the two of you and all his prep school friends dreamed up to show me up!"

"I'm sorry, Mr Anderson, but that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!" said Grace, noting the incredulous expression on Cooper's face. He knew where she was going with her words, as right on cue, he broke down and began to sob. "I was at the trial of the man that murdered your son's fiancé; that man mutilated my brother and his best friend, now husband…" - she stopped as she noted the growing distaste on Jonathan's face as she spoke, and suddenly she felt inspired - "How can you even stand there and suggest that your son is still alive somewhere and that this is all some elaborate prank? That all of his friends would agree to play along with this just to torment you? I suggest that why you are here, you stay well away from me, or I will not be responsible for my actions…"

With those words, Grace wrapped a protective arm around Cooper, and turned her back pointedly on Jonathan. He made as if to speak, but in the end he just swore and stalked off upstairs. They heard the door to the guest bedroom slam - and that was the cue for Cooper and Grace to start giggling quietly. "Ok, my dear Grace, you were quite magnificent - and what a team we make!"

"I guess we do - after all, you began to sob at just the right moment…"

"Still, this does show that it isn't just mom that this is going to work on… Right, I'd best text Sebastian before it gets too late, and make our plans for the morning. Dad always sets his alarm for seven on a Saturday morning, and when he gets up, he immediately heads for breakfast. He is a creature of habit. Mom is too, and she will linger in bed a while longer."

Grace smiled and whispered "So if a certain young Frenchman just happens to be near the guest room just after that time…."

"….then my dear mother can wake us up with her screams," finished Cooper. His smile dropped for a moment, and he took Grace's hand in his own. "Look, I just want you to know that I am so sorry that you have ended up caught up in all of this, my love."

Grace smiled at him, and replied, "Do you know something CJ? I am actually starting to enjoy this. I mean it is wrong, but they do deserve it. If I had been that bothered by it, I could just have gone and stayed in Bushwick. So, bring it on - and let's see if we can get them out of here by Monday…"


	30. The Haunting Part I

**The Haunting Part I**

The following morning, Grace had her alarm set for 6.30. When it went off, she quickly got up, slipped on her robe, and made her quietly along the landing to Cooper's room. He was still asleep as she walked in; she stood just inside the room and watched him as he slept for a moment. She couldn't help but think as she did so that this time next week, he would be recovering from the pressure of his official opening night; that there would be a critics review or ten to be read; and hopefully, there would be no parents in the guest room. She walked over to his bed, and gently shook him awake, smiling at the way he snorted and groaned like a small child as she did so. He was hardly awake before they heard quiet footsteps in the hall, and a very light tap on the door. Grace went to stand behind it whilst Cooper made his way over to open it. On the other side stood François, with Dave and Sebastian in tow. The latter quickly whispered "We both decided that we would like to see the show first hand, and as we were both awake anyway…"

Cooper shook his head and let them all into his room, praying that when his father woke up he would make his way straight downstairs to the kitchen, and not stop off at his room for any reason. They would find out soon enough. A bell was heard ringing in the guest bedroom, followed by the sound of muffled voices. Then the door was opened and the heavy treads of Jonathan Anderson could be heard as he made his way downstairs. There was a moment of horror for them all when his footsteps seemed to stop right outside the bedroom door; they all froze, but then with a mutter about how Cooper was lazy as well as disrespectful, Jonathan moved on. They waited in silence until they heard the sound of water being run in the kitchen, and that was the cue for François to be off…

Less than a minute later, the whole house reverberated to the sound of a hysterical scream from the guest room - and seconds after that, as the sound of cursing came from the hallway below, the door to Cooper's room burst open and François barrelled in, trembling slightly. There was no time for any kind of discussion as the sound of Jonathan's footsteps came closer. Cooper nodded to them all, and opened the door to ask "What the heck now!?" as his father passed. He followed him to the guest room, from which his mother's screams still echoed. As he entered the room, behind his father, he signalled behind his back for Grace to follow. As she did, three young men, all grinning, made their way back down to the apartment below…

Grace had arranged to have lunch that day with Nick at the loft. The two siblings took the opportunity to catch up on a regular basis, and today had been planned long before the Andersons had arrived. It gave her a good excuse to escape the house though. When she arrived at the loft, she was not in the least bit surprised to find that her brother was not just joined by Jeff today, but by Sam and Mike. She just shook her head at the eager looks on their faces, and then began to laugh. When she eventually stopped, she regaled them all with the story of how Pam Anderson had seen her 'dead son' this morning, as she stepped out of the shower and walked back into the bedroom, clad only in a towel.

"She screamed her head off," laughed Grace, "but to be honest, François was close to joining her! Still, he got away. It was only afterwards that I noticed that the words 'Your sins shall find you out' had been written in the steamed up bathroom mirror. I said nothing, and left them for Mr Anderson to spot. He started yelling, Pam passed out, and both Cooper and I stood there and told them that there was nothing written there at all, and they were hallucinating. By the time I left to come here, François had paid two return visits to the house - and it would appear Blaine is helping us too. After all, according to Coop, the words in the bathroom mirror were in his style; and the subsequent writing in pink lipstick on the dressing table mirror, and in red ink all over Jonathan's papers were definitely in his handwriting. Something tells me that when I get home tonight, I might well witness flickering lights, and more of Blaine's handiwork. On top of that, there are sure to be more appearances by 'Blaine' in the offing. In fact, it will probably be worse than it was. The Andersons were supposed to be going out to dinner with friends tonight, but Pam has decided that she is too ill to go, and the last time I saw her, she was halfway through a bottle of gin…"

"You can stay here if you like," said Nick, who was trying his hardest to control his laughter, unlike the other three who were virtually rolling on the floor, "After all, this is a drunk mother-in-law and 'ghost' free zone…"

"Thanks for the offer, Nick, but I wouldn't miss it for the world. What we are doing is so cruel, but at the same time, given all of the history that I know, they deserve everything that we are dishing out."

Sure enough, by the time that Grace finally made it home, cursing the fact that the New York Public Library closed so early on a Saturday, Pam Anderson was well on her way to being drunk, and screamed the moment that Grace stepped into the sitting room. "For goodness sake, Pamela!" said Jonathan, from his chair in the corner, "It's only that girl of Cooper's! Pull yourself together!"

"I thought that it was him again. Don't deny it Jonathan, you see him here too! He is haunting this house!"

Grace sighed, and before Jonathan could respond to his wife, said "My dear Mrs Anderson, why would he be haunting a house that Cooper only purchased after he had died? Surely a ghost needs some sort of connection to the place they haunt? And if he is here, they why have Cooper and I never seen him?"

"He is here I tell you. I can smell his hair gel; hear him humming to himself, and when he is standing there…"

"He isn't here Pamela, you stupid woman!" snapped Jonathan, "It is all that drink, making you hallucinate!"

"Oh really? So did I imagine those words in his writing scrawled over your work in red ink? Did I imagine you screaming at him to either speak or leave? You see him too, and don't dare deny it!"

"Maybe it isn't this house," said Grace, and suddenly she felt the eyes of the couple on her. "If you are seeing him, then maybe it is because you are here in the city that from what Cooper tells me, he always dreamed of living in. I mean, have you been in the city prior to this since Blaine died? He might see it, some might say, as an invasion by you of his territory. I don't believe for one second that he is here though, or surely he would make himself visible to me and Cooper too." Grace stopped, suddenly aware of the presence of 'Blaine' in her peripheral vision. "No, I think that if he is haunting anything, it is the two of you, certainly not this house…" She paused again, keeping a straight face, as in front of her, the faces of both the Andersons paled, at least at first.

Suddenly Jonathan was on his feet, red in the face. "He's here again! He is standing right beside you! What the hell do you want Blaine!? Can't you see that you are upsetting me and your mother? Speak to me, darn it, you cowardly little faggot!"

Grace turned to her right and looked straight through the young man next to her. Then she turned back to her future father-in-law, and said, "Mr Anderson, there is nobody there. Have you been drinking too?" As she said this, François turned and left. "I will tell you one thing, though, and you will not like it. If that is the way that you spoke to him when he was alive, then it is no wonder that he would not speak to you now… The fact remains that he is not there. He is dead, and there are more than enough witnesses to that. He shot himself. If you persist with the stupid notion that he is still alive, and Sue Sylvester finds out about it, she will sue you, and she will win. That is my legal opinion. Speaking of that, I have work to do, so I am going to the study and I do not wish to be disturbed. So please, both of you, try not to scream again."

Grace left the room and headed to the study, ignoring the words 'I speak only to those that cared' written on the wall in the hallway, just where the two Andersons would see them when they eventually left the room. Grace knew what was coming then, and ignored the yelling that came from the passage when Jonathan left the room a little later. She heard him make his way to the kitchen, and soon smelt coffee brewing. She hoped that he would see the pile of hotel details that she had printed out and take the hint…

When she headed into the kitchen an hour later, she found the pile of paper gone, and a quick check told her that it had not just been put in the trash. She prepared some supper, her duties as a hostess ensuring she made enough for three. A quick text fired off to Sebastian had stopped any more visits for a while. She approached the sitting room again with trepidation, and found to her surprise that Pam was sitting there on her own, in a haze, with two empty spirit bottles in front of her. Jonathan was nowhere to be seen.

As she walked in, Pam seemed to come out of her stupor for a moment. "My husband has gone to bed - he has a headache apparently; a real one, not just me and his sons; sorry, son. My baby got lost along the way… Like me, lost in a glass. Do you think that Blaine can hear me? Do you think that if I told him how sorry I was for the way that I treated him, and let him be treated, he would ever manage to forgive me?"

"I don't know, if I'm honest. From what everyone tells me, he was a nice young man, so he just might."

"Cooper won't, and I don't blame him. I was here, in the city, when my son was in the hospital after Kurt… I should have gone to see him, broken the rules, but I didn't, and I will regret that for the rest of my life. Coming here wasn't my idea, and it was a mistake. Jonathan was so angry that he was getting all of the attention, and that everyone would know about the whole sorry affair, and his pride was going to be hurt… My dear, I want you to know that I do love Cooper, as much as I loved Blaine. I can see that you love him too. So promise me that you will take care of my eldest boy. Promise me that when you have children of your own, that you will always put them before everything else. Because that was my mistake you see. I put money and a career before them, and I ended up losing everything. I lost my boys… I miss my Blainey so much, he was so beautiful, so kind… And now, all I am is a very lonely and stupid woman…"

At that moment, Grace felt enormous sympathy for the woman sitting in front of her. Could it be that the real Pam, the old loving mom that both of her sons had described came out when she was drunk and alone? The problem for Grace was that she was not sure if the tears that were now forming in the other woman's eyes were for her lost son, or herself - she could understand the pity though. She could only guess how it had to feel to a mother to lose a child; and she hoped that it was something that she never had to deal with in her own life. She wondered for a moment if Pam's drinking had got worse since Blaine died…

There was food to be eaten, and it would be getting cold, so in a gentle voice, she asked Pam to join her in the kitchen. The older woman accepted, getting to her feet with more than a slight wobble. Grace took her arm, and assisted her through to the kitchen, and sat her down at the table, before placing a simple meal of chicken pot pie and vegetables in front of her. She watched as at first Pam's only response was to pick at the pastry, but then she took a forkful - and that was all that was needed. Once she had tasted it, Pam quickly worked her way through the dish, the only liquid consumed with it a glass of water. After it was finished, Grace brought out coffee, made stronger than usual, and a slice of cake - again this was accepted, the cake in particular going down well. Afterwards, Pam turned to her and said "Did you make all of that yourself?"

"The pot pie, yes - the cake was the work of my little brother Nick; he's the baker in the family."

"I think that I remember Nick. I met him once when he and some of the other Dalton boys came to visit Blaine; he seemed like a nice boy, quiet too - unlike the exuberant blond one that was with them…"

"That would be Jeff. He's my brother-in-law now." Grace watched as a small smile appeared on Pam's face at her words.

"I'm glad that some of those boys got what they wanted… Blaine wanted to marry Kurt, but - well, you know how that went… I often think that I lost Blaine all the more once he went to Dalton. At least he had Wes Montgomery to look up to. I remember him too; another good young man…"

"He was… I'm afraid that Wes died last year in an accident; a drunk driver…"

Pam's face fell at that news, then she sighed. "Well, they say that the good die young, and that seems to be true. I will probably die a very old woman… Grace, look after Cooper for me. He has become such a fine young man, no thanks to me and his father; no, I have Blaine and the Hummels to thank for that. He deserves to be happy, which is why I think that we should leave; and not just this house, but New York. The problem is that Jonathan will refuse to. He will never forgive Cooper for claiming back what was legally his; but to get revenge on him by destroying his future is so petty. So yes, we will go…" Pam smiled, and then got up from her chair. She patted Grace on the arm, and then walked out of the room, leaving the young woman in the kitchen feeling strange and conflicted.

She resolved to say nothing to Cooper about the conversation when he arrived home. She instead went to tidy up the sitting room, disposing of the empty bottles, and then on a whim, she texted Sebastian and asked him to pop upstairs. Their subsequent conversation was brief, but her request was simple. All of François' efforts the following day were to be targeted at Jonathan; in her opinion, Pam was ready to crack.

Sebastian took one look at Grace's face and nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking the same. Her screams were good, but it is Mr Anderson that is the key here. He would force her to stay here, even if she lost the little sanity that she has left in the process. He just wants to make Cooper suffer, and for that, I want to make him pay. He has been so supportive of me since Blaine died. I thought that it was all my fault, that if I had acted sooner or differently; but even though he was grieving so much, he took time out to make it plain that it wasn't my fault. So I owe him. He's like a big brother to me, and so much better than my real one…" Sebastian paused, as he realised that Grace had no idea about that part of his life. "His name is Julian. I haven't seen him since before our parents divorced, and technically, he is my half-brother. It was one of the things that Wes and I bonded over when we shared that room in Nick and Jeff's loft. Having an older half-brother that was a bit of an…"

Grace nodded, and then spoke. "I know that Cooper looks on all of you as siblings, particularly you and Sam. But I do think that you should try and build bridges with your half-brother. Life can be cut short so suddenly, and you should know that, given all that you have seen. I mean, how would you feel if something happened to Julian, and you had never spoken to him again…?"

By the time that Cooper returned home from the theatre that evening, Grace had already headed to bed; her day had been a long one, and her conversation with Pam had reignited some of the conflict that she felt within herself over what they were doing. She still agreed with it in principle, but only if the target of all their efforts now was Mr Anderson - his wife had suffered enough. Cooper was equally tired after his two Saturday performances; he was also aware that the chances were that the screaming would start up again just after seven the following morning. He went to bed and fell into a deep sleep as soon as head touched the pillow.


	31. The Haunting Part II

**The Haunting Part II**

Down in his apartment below, Sebastian lay wide awake beside a sleeping Dave, playing over in his head all the Grace had said to him in their chat that evening. She did have a point, and maybe it was time for him to try and reconnect with Julian. He was still lying there, sleep eluding him, at 2am, when he heard the sound of the front door opening upstairs. Filled with curiosity, he made his way through the house and cautiously peered out of the living room window. To his surprise he saw Jonathan standing there, on the sidewalk, talking away to someone on his phone. The window was slightly open, and so snippets of his conversation reached Sebastian's keen ears. Amongst the few words he heard were "agent"; "casting couch is infamous"; and "find something to pin on him." Sebastian knew at once what he was doing now. His original scheme failing, he was now trying to find something from Cooper's days as a young struggling actor in L.A. to expose to the media. Disgust filled Sebastian's thoughts, and he knew exactly what to do…

He walked swiftly through the house, and shook François awake. He groaned, but on seeing his friend's face, he knew what was needed - he had the top half of the Dalton uniform on in less than a minute; and as he was pulling on the bottom half, Sebastian was already gelling his hair. In a little over two minutes, 'Blaine' was ready. After a quick check to confirm that Mr Anderson was still outside, and a set of whispered instructions, François made his way upstairs, and went to stand at the open front door. Cooper had given his parents a key, against his better judgement, but the fact that the door was left open seemed to suggest that it was in Pam's possession. It took a minute for Jonathan to finally notice him standing there, his arms folded across his chest; and even though his face was downcast, it was clear to anyone that he had an eyebrow raised. The stream of conversation into his phone stopped; and just for a moment, François glanced up, to see the man frozen on the spot, all thought of talking over. François shook his head at the man, and that one gesture was the catalyst to unfreeze him. He started back towards the stairs, yelling "You aren't here! You aren't alive! Leave me alone, Blaine! I command you to leave, you disgusting, no good, worthless fag!" At that, 'Blaine' took a step back inside, and at just the right moment, he slammed the front door shut in his father's face.

François was of course unaware that the young man that he was playing had been standing at his father's side as he talked to his latest sleazy lawyer. Blaine had been undertaking a late night collection - a teenage boy whose love for his girlfriend had cost him his life at the hands of a jealous love rival. The whole thing had shaken him. He had arrived in time to see the moment that the fatal stab wound was delivered in the common room of a prep school not unlike Dalton; had seen the look of shock on the face of the victim; heard the screams of those around him whose lives were also being turned upside down. His girlfriend had been there, but she had not rushed over to cradle him in her arms as his attacker fled, as the room emptied. She had run away too, wanting to disassociate herself from the whole thing. So it had been Blaine that had held the hand of the dying boy as he passed in that school near Cincinnati. The kid had cried, and Blaine had shed tears with him as he had realised that his life was over.

There was a family member in heaven - an aunt that had died from cancer six months earlier, so at least Blaine had been able to leave him with family after he had completed the paperwork. The thought of family had lead him to thinking about his own dysfunctional one, and that had lead him to witness the latest goings on in the story of the Anderson clan. He hoped that Cooper had been squeaky clean whilst he was in L.A. He was sure that he would have been, but nonetheless, it would be best to check it out for himself… He only saw François after his father did. It was rather disconcerting to see himself standing on the doorstep, but at the same time, watching his father's meltdown was hysterically funny. When the door was slammed in his face and he was locked out, Blaine felt that some sort of justice had been done. He just wished that he had the power to make it rain - his father was dressed only in his night clothes - but as he couldn't, he just had to be content with standing at his side, and making a series of erratic wing flaps, to disturb him with peculiar draughts.

In the end, Jonathan Anderson spent nearly an hour outside on the sidewalk, despite the fact that he was knocking increasingly loudly on the door, and in the end, yelling at the top of his voice. His wife was dead to the world, a combination of exhaustion and gin; his son and future daughter-in-law just ignored him, having no desire to let him back in, not after the former had received the call from Sebastian, telling him what he had overheard - and that as a consequence, he had been unable to resist the temptation… In the end, it was only when the NYPD appeared, having been summoned by a neighbour, that Cooper reluctantly decided that he would have to answer the door, doing his best impression of someone whose sleep had just been disturbed by the actions of his father. He made his apologies to the police as his dad just pushed past him and ran into the house, muttering loudly about how Blaine had locked him out. Of course, the officers wanted to speak to Blaine, and that made for a very awkward conversation for Cooper, who had to explain to them that Blaine had been dead for nearly two years, and that all weekend, his father had been claiming that he could see him. The officer in charge nodded sagely, and said that it must be hard for a child to watch as a parent was robbed of their sanity by old age. Cooper nodded, and thanked her for being so understanding. Admittedly, it had taken all of his self control not to laugh at that, but if she thought that Jonathan Anderson was insane, then there was a good chance that everyone else would. This thought was the one that Cooper took with him to bed that morning.

He was woken, like Grace, to the sound of more yelling as François paid his by now regular early morning visit to Jonathan. The young Frenchman's reactions were swift, which was just as well, as by the time that Cooper managed to get down to the kitchen, the remains of two mugs and a bowl sat by the door to the kitchen, and the cream painted wall was now splattered with coffee, and with milk from a bowl of granola. "Ok, dad, this has to stop! First you wake up half the neighbourhood last night, according to the cops - and I would love to know exactly why you were outside on the sidewalk in the first place, by the way. And now, you are throwing my crockery at the wall!"

"Don't blame me, it was your precious little brother! I had popped out last night to make a business call, and left the door open. That boy proceeded to slam it shut in my face. Then this morning he was here again, standing in that doorway, looking so sweet, pathetic and weak, like butter wouldn't melt - and so I lashed out as I should have done years ago…"

"Do you know something, dad? Last night, the cop thought that you might be losing your mind when I told her what I am about to say to you now. BLAINE IS DEAD! He shot himself with your gun! I saw his body - and do you know what something like that does to you? I still see him lying there, pale and bloody, in my nightmares… He is not alive, he is not haunting this house! Mom has the excuse of the booze, but what is yours? Maybe your mind has cracked; maybe because you are here, in the city that he loved, with me, the brother that he loved…. If he was going to make himself visible to anyone, wouldn't it be to me, the brother that is still so heartbroken that he is gone, that loved him so much, that misses his Squirt every single day…."

Cooper broke down in tears, and Grace, who had been watching silently from the doorway, rushed in and put her arms around him. As he sobbed against her shoulder, holding her tightly, she turned to a man who she realised had, unlike his wife, no redeeming features whatsoever, and spoke in the calm, measured, commanding tone that she used in court. "Does this make you happy, seeing him crack and fall apart? Do you even know how long it took him to get back to a state of normality after his brother's death; to be able to function normally? Of course not; but Burt Hummel, his wife Carole, and Sam Evans all do, because although they themselves were all so devastated at losing another person so soon after Kurt; distraught at the loss of a boy they saw as a son and a best friend, they knew that they had to pull Cooper back from the abyss for his sake. I don't think for one moment that Blaine is here, haunting you and your wife. He wouldn't waste his time on a father that makes my own, that beat my little brother for daring to be gay, look like Santa Claus. I think that you need to leave this house. Find a hotel if you must stay in the city. Because if you don't, I will personally make sure that the whole world knows that you destroyed your son on the eve of his greatest personal success. You are not the only one with influential contacts in this city, Mr Anderson. The thing is, mine have a lot of legal backing…"

Jonathan opened his mouth to reply; no doubt to comment about the sheer impertinence of the young woman before him, but instead he froze. He had put the kettle on the top of the gas stove to make some tea, just as Cooper had arrived, and during their exchange, it had come to the boil. As a result, the room had begun to fill with steam, and it had caused a mist of condensation to appear on the mirror mounted next to the stove, behind his son. Now as he watched, Jonathan began to see lines emerging in the misted surface. Lines which spelt out the words 'You will suffer for this…' His mouth dropped open, his words stuck in his throat. He felt a sudden chill pass over his body, a draught envelop him as it had done outside the night before. Then, his words came. "He's here now. Show yourself Blaine!" he screamed, causing Cooper to jump, and look at him as if he was mad once more.

"Make him stop, Gracie, please make him stop…" Cooper sobbed, holding on to her all the tighter. Grace shook her head, and guided Cooper over to a chair. She settled him there, and looked on in concern as he placed his head on the table and continued to weep. She pulled the kettle off the top of the stove, causing the clouds of steam to vanish in an instant - but the words remained.

"On the mirror! The little brat has scrawled threats all over the mirror!"

Grace spun round and looked at the mirror, then turned back, her best poker face at play. "There is nothing written on there, for goodness sake! Just go, and leave us in peace. I will bring you some breakfast. Go!" She stood there, glowering at him, until Jonathan stalked out of the kitchen, muttering. She didn't move from her spot, nor did Cooper, until they heard a resounding bang as Jonathan slammed the door of the guest bedroom shut.

"Oh, my Gracie, you should be on the stage with me; that was all so perfect! You had me believing every single word," said Cooper, lifting his head from the table, and grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, your little brother didn't actually help matters by writing on the mirror, if I am honest - but I forgive him, because it made him think that he really is going mad."

At that moment, the young man in question made himself visible, and spoke. "I'm sorry about that - it's just that I heard Coop crying, and even though I knew that it was all an act, it made my blood boil - and I just couldn't stop myself. Anyway, I am just going to go up and write on the bathroom mirror with toothpaste - something suitably dark and nasty - whilst mom is still asleep. I think that, plus another visit from François might just settle matters." With that, Blaine disappeared again, and Grace set about making the breakfast that she had promised. It might be another long day…

In the end, it wasn't. She arrived with breakfast for the Andersons just as Jonathan stepped into the bathroom and saw Blaine's message on the mirror. Cooper ran upstairs on hearing his yelling, and whilst he dealt with his father, and his severely hungover mother, Grace wiped the toothpaste off the mirror, and replaced the now empty toothpaste tube with a fuller one. She had just finished when Jonathan dragged a disorientated Pam into the bathroom - she took one look at the unmarked mirror, shot her husband a look that spoke volumes, then announced that it was no wonder she drank. Grace took her arm and guided her down to the kitchen, to give her cereal and tea - meanwhile, Cooper read his father the riot act once again. He then left him, passing François on the stair with a wink and a nod. He was hardly back in the kitchen when he heard his father yelling obscenities, and then a crash as something was thrown into the hall.

There was a moment of silence, and then there came the sound of footsteps thundering down the staircase, before Jonathan barrelled into the room. "I will not stay in this mad house for another hour! You put him up to this Cooper! You summoned him here to haunt us! I can assure you that I will be taking this to the media; expose your cruelty to your long suffering parents. Not content with taking our money, you are now trying to take our sanity. I will make you, and your friends pay for this! Pamela, pack your bags - we are leaving now. I am assuming that one of you might be able to call us a cab?"

"It will be my pleasure to call you a taxi, father."

"By the way, Mr Anderson, if I hear of any false or slanderous statements being made by yourself to the media, then I will personally see that you face the full force of the law. Now, I will escort your wife upstairs and assist her with your packing. Might I suggest that you try and find yourself a hotel so that we can tell the cab driver where he is to take you?"

"Do you know something young woman - you and my son are well suited. You are both disrespectful, ungrateful brats, who have forgotten how much you owe your parents. I know your father, Miss Duval, and what he did to your brother is what I should have done to Blaine. As to a hotel, I already know where we are going. The Knickerbocker. I would be obliged if you could inform the taxi driver of that - and could you request a white driver?"

With that, he marched out of the room, leaving Cooper in a state of shock. After making the necessary call to the cab company, in which he was tempted to ask for the least Caucasian driver they had, he found the time to fire off a text to Sebastian, to inform him that they had a result, and that his beloved parents were leaving shortly for a hotel. He was curious for a moment when his reply came, and after a few words of congratulations, it included the question "Which hotel?" Then he decided that he would be better off not knowing this time, and responded with the words 'The Knickerbocker. Don't tell me anything ;-))'

Grace eventually rejoined him in the kitchen, and the two of them made plans for a celebratory lunch at the diner. They both pointedly ignored the slightly raised voices from upstairs, just glad that their guests were leaving. There was a chance that they might still show up at opening night of course, and indeed Grace thought that if Pam was sober she would want to be there, and would enjoy it. The chances of that she realised were slim. After all of these years, it would take more than all the efforts of Betty Ford to cure Pam now. She could see that if Pam had left the toxic Jonathan, then she might have been a great mother to her boys. Grace chided herself for mentally thinking that it would be a good thing if death came calling sooner rather than later for her boyfriend's father.

"Penny for your thoughts, my love," said Cooper, startling her from her reverie.

"Sorry, I was just thinking how much I am looking forward to the two of us having the house to ourselves again."

"Yeah, me too…" replied Cooper, grinning like a Cheshire Cat, and waggling his eyebrows. Grace just shook her head, but couldn't help but smile right back.

Eventually it was time for the Andersons to leave. Cooper had made sure to get the front door key back - indeed, he was planning on calling a locksmith to have the locks changed, just in case his father had managed to have a copy made at some point. Jonathan elbowed his way past Cooper as he stood on the doorstep, and it was only the legal side of her mind that prevented Grace from sticking out her foot to trip the obnoxious man up, and send him flying down the steps. She knew full well that he would sue her if she did.

He was followed by Pam, who paused in front of a stern faced Cooper, and said "I'm sorry for all of this. I do love you, but I'm toxic. Be happy for me - she will make you a good wife and mother to your children. Don't let her slip away. Goodbye, son."

She walked on, ignoring Jonathan screaming at her "Pamela! Get in now!" to pause and hug Grace, who gently hugged her back. She had written her cellphone number on the back of a business card, with the words 'Call me if you need me' written underneath, and slipped it into Pam's make up bag. She didn't hold out much hope, but at least she could say she had tried. Then Pam walked down the steps, climbed into the cab, and turned to look back out of the window, raising her hand in farewell as the cab moved off. Instinctively, Cooper lifted his own hand to wave back, and darn, did he not feel tears pricking at his eyes… It was then that he saw him. Standing in the road behind the cab, and waving, was François. He suddenly felt very, very sorry for the poor cab driver…


	32. Close Encounter in Times Square

_This chapter contains some dialogue in French - for those of you that do not understand this language, there are translations at the bottom._

 **Close Encounter in Times Square**

The Andersons now gone, all the residents of Cooper's house ended up going to the diner for lunch. Sebastian had fired off a text to Jeff to inform him that the plan had been a resounding success; that as a result François was now a free man, and did he and Nick fancy coming with them for a stroll around town? Jeff had replied to say that he and Nick were both working at the diner; but he should bring François over, as Trent and Rory were also there, Beats and Flint were due to arrive shortly, and Kitty and Marley were also expected in.

On reading this, Sebastian decided that there was a prank to play. He told François that they were going out, but he was not to change out of his 'Blaine' clothes. The young Frenchman shrugged, and reluctantly agreed, complaining about the gel in his hair in French. When he told them, both Cooper and Grace informed him that he was evil, but they made no effort to stop him. As for Dave, he just sighed, and hoped it wouldn't create too much commotion…

As they all walked into the diner, it was Brittany that spotted him first, and as she walked past, she said a quick "Hey Blaine!" The use of that name got the whole staff of partners, and Elliot to look up. That was when they felt the draught, and Blaine appeared at the counter alongside Kurt. It took several minutes to stop the squeals, and then Cooper came clean on what they had done. For his part, François did not quite understand why there had been such a sudden commotion, but soon forgot about it as he was warmly welcomed, particularly after the excited bear hugs that he was given by both Trent and Rory.

A lot of fun was had that lunchtime. Cooper was made to feel like a king - he had got one over on his parents once again. He had used their fear and guilt to destroy them. For his own part though, he didn't feel quite so triumphant. He was still thinking about the final words that his mother had said to him that morning. Although he completely despised his father, he was torn in both directions over the question of his mom. He after all had even more knowledge than Blaine ever had of the old Pam; the loving mom. Today he had seen traces of that woman again, trapped inside the alcoholic that he now knew. If he could get her away from his dad, then maybe, just maybe, he could get her the help that she needed. He knew that if he decided to do that, then Grace would support him. He looked over at her again, sat across the table from him. He had never loved any woman as much as he did her…

His train of thought was interrupted by a scream - he looked up to see Kitty being held up by Marley, although she also looked as if she could keel over at any moment. The door to the diner opened again, and in stepped Beats and Flint. They saw the two Blaines in front of them, looked at each other, then shrugged and headed towards the staff locker room to hang up their jackets. Cooper got up, and went over to the two girls; he assisted them to a seat, and then made their formal introductions to François. The minute that he said the name, Kitty recognised it and knew exactly who he was. When they were told the reason why he was dressed in the way he was, Marley shook her head, whilst Kitty just smirked, and said "Serves them right for the way that they treated Blaine! Are they still intending to turn up on Friday? Because to be honest, between us, me and Santana could sort them out." Cooper had no idea. He just had to assume that they would appear, and dread the potential consequences.

They had only intended to stay for a little lunch, but in the end François, Dave and Sebastian were still there at 6pm; Cooper and Grace had left at two, as he had decided that he wanted to head to the theatre and see that afternoon's performance. He wasn't due to be on the stage, but he liked to be there, just in case he was needed. Grace had headed back to Murray Hill, via the nearest hardware store. She had decided that she had best pick up a tin of paint or two to cover up the stains and the writing on the walls. If she was clever, she could have most of it covered over before Cooper returned home, and still have time to make something nice for their supper. It would be nice to get back to their usual routine; to snuggle up together on the sofa and watch a film. It would be nice to have a house that no longer echoed to the screams and yells of her estranged in-laws. A house were the door to the apartment downstairs was once again firmly bolted, and no-one would be materialising through it at all hours of the day. Back to normality, at least until the big day on Friday…

For those left in the diner, plans were being made. Beats and Flint had come over and spent a long time chatting to François; by the time that they were dragged back into the kitchen where they were supposed to be helping out, they had secured an invite to Paris anytime that they wished. They were replaced by the now finished Nick and Jeff, and as Trent and Rory strolled over to join them, it was like it had been in Paris the year before. François had finally shed the blazer and tie, and now sat in just a white shirt - as a result, he was far less obviously Blaine's double. It was only really his hair that made it so obvious now, and to everyone's surprise, he declined the chance to use the staff washroom to wash it out. It was agreed that Nick would take him on a tour of the city the following day, and at Sebastian's suggestion, they would head towards Times Square and its environs - it was after all one major area that they had so far failed to visit. Jeff would be working, as would Sebastian; Dave had a match, and Trent and Rory would be back in Washington, so it looked as if it would just be the two of them - until a passing Santana overheard, and invited herself and Brittany to join them.

"It will be good to really get a chance to know one of the guys that was best friends with Sebastian in his misspent youth," she said with a smile. At that, Nick groaned, as he considered the prospect of hearing about sex all day long. Sebastian said nothing. He was too busy wondering if the Andersons had liked the box of chocolates and the bouquet of flowers he had sent to their hotel room with love from Blaine. And then, of course, there was the fact that their hotel was located right beside Times Square…

* * *

The following day, Nick arrived at Sebastian's apartment with the two girls in tow to find François there alone. Sebastian had left not long after 8am to head downtown to the Strand bookstore, and his work. They all popped upstairs to say hello to Cooper, who was just about to leave for the theatre - the place might be dark to the public on a Monday, but that gave him a perfect opportunity for a run through with everyone and everything in place without the scrutiny of the press or the public. It would be a long day - they might actually end up running through the whole production twice - and then there would be last minute things to do like costume checks; they all wanted his big night to be perfect. Santana's shout of "Break a Leg!" to him as they parted company on the sidewalk left François a little curious, until Nick explained the theatrical tradition.

Then they left to stroll around the city; to show their visitor all the little corners that they had found and fallen in love with. They wandered up in the direction of the 59th Street Bridge first, past the UN Building, where they took a photo of François standing below the Tricolore, the tower looming up behind him. At the bridge, Nick burst into a spontaneous rendition of _Feeling Groovy_ , the classic Simon and Garfunkel song, and to their surprise, François joined in with the words, as the significance dawned on him. Then they strolled over to the lower end of Central Park, and they were almost tempted to stay there as the day had begun to warm up nicely. In the end though, having sat there for a while, and eaten a lunch of hot dogs from one of the many stands, they followed Sebastian's suggestion and took a subway downtown again to Times Square. They emerged into that crowded and busy place, and after a moment, François just stopped dead in the middle of it all, a rock in the sea of humanity, as around him the people of the metropolis, of Gotham, pushed past him. Nick could only smile, remembering that he and Jeff had done much the same the first time that they had come here. He suddenly felt a need for chocolate, and so he asked the two girls to keep an eye on the mesmerised François whilst he popped into Duane Reade for a bar. Brittany however requested that she join him, and so Santana was left to guard the young Frenchman on her own.

She had been alone with him for less than a minute, smiling at just how enraptured he was, when her own mind wandered to a day so long ago now - or at least that was how it seemed. A day when a group of teenagers from a high school in Lima had gathered here early one morning on their way to show choir Nationals for the first time. Two of the New Directions that had been there that morning were gone now, she thought with a sigh. She had been in awe of the place herself then too… She could also recall how Kurt had been torn by the whole thing. Yes, he was in New York, the place he had always dreamed of, but… He had ended up pulling out his phone when he thought no-one was looking, and calling Blaine. He had hardly paused for breath as he described the whole thing to the other boy, then had said in such a sad tone that he wished that he was here with him…

That was when she heard it - someone shouting.

"BLAINE!"

She looked up and saw a florid faced older man pushing his way through the crowd towards them, still shouting at the top of his voice "I knew it! Blaine Anderson!"

She could tell who the man was without ever having met him. François had turned his back on him, and had a look of panic on his face. "That's Mr Anderson, isn't it?" she said. "What are the chances of this happening in a city of millions… Ok, so here is how we handle this. You speak only in French, and act as if you are being attacked by a mad stranger, which basically, you are…" François nodded, and continued to ignore the screaming man that was getting ever closer, as if he had never seen him or heard the name Blaine before. For her part, Santana fired off a text to Nick - 'Stay in Duane Reed. Mr Anderson here and spotted François! Will deal - stay put!' She could just imagine the look on his face when he got that text…

"Got you!" came a triumphant shout, as Jonathan Anderson grabbed onto François' shoulder. "I knew that you weren't dead! I knew that all of this was an elaborate hoax dreamed up by you and your brother. Well, his career will be over once I expose this and yours will never begin!"

Santana stepped up and tried to pull him off, with a scream of "Leave my friend alone!"

François took that as his cue to speak - "Aidez moi! Laisse moi partir! Aidez-moi s'il vous plaît! Cet homme me fait mal! Police! Aidez moi!" _(1)_

Although Santana did not know much French, she could guess what he was saying and so she joined in, yelling "Help us! Let him go! Get the police!" at the crowd around them.

"French, Blaine! Oh, that is very good, but that will not wash with me. You want the cops? Fine! Suits me, because you are the one that will be in big trouble for faking your death!"

"Who the heck is this Blaine?" said Santana. "This is François, not your Blaine! You have the wrong guy!"

"I know my son when I see him, young lady - and I would thank you to butt out and mind your own business!" With those words, Jonathan gave Santana a hard shove backwards as he tried to pull François away. Caught off guard, she fell backwards, but fortunately for her, she fell straight into the arms of a burly member of the NYPD…

After he had assisted Santana back on to her feet, the cop turned to her as one of his colleagues made a grab for Jonathan, who promptly lashed out. "Officer, this boy is my son Blaine. He has been missing for nearly two years, and he has been leading his mother and I a terrible dance. His name is Blaine, regardless of what he tells you."

"That isn't true - this is just a case of mistaken identity," said Santana.

"You can shut up, young woman! This has absolutely nothing to do with you!"

"It has everything to do with her, sir, particularly if she decides to press charges against you for the assault on her person that I just witnessed. Why don't we let the young man speak for himself?"

"He's with me," said Santana. "He's a college student, here on an exchange visit from France. The problem is, he has really poor English; I don't suppose you can speak French?" The first officer shook his head, but the other officer nodded, and asked François to tell him what was going on in good French.

With a look of gratitude on his face, François turned to the second cop, and spoke rapidly. "Monsieur, mon nom est pas Blaine! Je suis François Girard . Je suis de Paris, et je ne l'ai jamais vu cet homme dans ma vie!" He then proceeded to dig in his back pocket, and pulled out a small book. "Ici , ceci est mon passeport. Je ne suis pas Blaine , et il est pas mon père!" _(2)_

The cop studied the passport, nodded, and then handed it back to François. "Sir, you have made a mistake. He is carrying a French passport that tallies with what he just told me. This young man is not your son."

"Rubbish! It's obviously a fake, created by him and his wicked brother Cooper. He is in on this too; ever since I told him some home truths when he was eighteen, that boy has hated me - and since he changed his surname to the bizarre Hummel-Warbler, he is worse. He is an Anderson, and that is most definitely his brother Blaine!"

François turned once more to the cop, and said "Monsieur, je ne sais pas non plus quelqu'un appelé Cooper!" _(3)_

"Sir, with all due respect, this boy is not your son. He has a passport in another name…"

"Which is easy to fake - how stupid are you?"

"Wait a minute - did you say Hummel-Warbler?" said Santana. "Your son is Cooper Hummel-Warbler?"

"No, my son is Cooper Anderson - he just masquerades under that ridiculous name!"

"Officer, I am a student at NYADA, and we have all been talking about this man's son; he is taking over the lead in the show _Kinky Boots_ on Friday. The thing is, well, his brother Blaine used to be a student at NYADA - but from what I've been told, he died two years ago. He killed himself after his fiancé, another NYADA student, Kurt Hummel, was murdered. I think the guy that killed him was tried last year - what was his name - something Clarington I think…"

The cop next to Santana nodded, and then began to speak into his radio, repeating the few details that she had just given to him. At the same time she had taken François into her arms, and was comforting the now visibly upset young man. The other cop was still holding onto an increasingly irate looking Jonathan Anderson. Suddenly, the first cop turned back towards them, an angry look on his face. "So, sir, you maintain that your son went missing two years ago? That is funny, because according to what I have just been told, he was found dead in Lima, Ohio in September of that year. The witnesses to this include your eldest son, a high school principal, and a Congressman. I find it strange that given the huge amount of publicity then, and subsequent during the trial of his fiancé's killer, you did not know this already…"

"It's all lies; he did not die. Burt Hummel probably set it all up; he probably arranged the fake passport and documents that he is carrying. I know how crooked Congressmen are! This is my son, Blaine Anderson. He has been hanging around at his brother's house here in this awful hell of a city - he has just spent the last few days pranking my poor wife, making out that he was a ghost! We had no choice but to leave and move into a hotel as a result. Well now, he is going to pay for what he has done. So, if you will excuse me, I am going to take him back to his mother, and prove to her once and for all that he and his brother are the worthless pieces of shit that I always told her they were! And as for you, young lady, I have a good mind to charge you with obstruction - I am guessing that you are in on all of this too?"

The two cops looked at each other, and at the two young people caught up in this sorry show. "Actually sir, I think that it might be better if you came with us, and we can see about getting you some help with your grief…"

"Grief! I was relieved when I thought that this little fag was dead! My wife cried over it for days, but that is because she is a sentimental idiot! At least his little boyfriend is dead… Now, so help me, I am going to beat the fairy out of my son!" With those words, Jonathan broke free from the grip of the cop holding him by punching him in the crotch. He made a grab for François, who promptly let out a scream that caused half of Times Square to stop and look. The other cop was too quick for Jonathan though, and in moments, he had him face down on the ground, his hands behind his back as he cuffed him, and read his rights as he was charged with assaulting a police officer.

 _Notes_

 _Translations as promised!_

 _(1) "Help me! Let me go! Help me, please! This man is hurting me! Police! Help me!_ "

 _(2) "Sir, my name is not Blaine! I am François Girard. I am from Paris, and I have never seen this man before in my life!"  
_ _"Here, this is my passport. I am not Blaine, and this man is not my father!"_

 _(3) "Sir, I do not know anyone called Cooper!"_


	33. The Final Showdown

**The Final Showdown**

From his vantage point by the door in Duane Reade, Nick had watched the unfolding scene with an increasing sense of horror. This was the worst possible thing that could have happened. The odds of it occurring had to be miniscule, but it had. He was just glad that it had not been him standing with François when it had, or worse still, it had been Sebastian. Although he was pretty certain that Mr Anderson would not recall his own face from the two times they had met - sorry, passed each other in Blaine's house if he was honest, he was pretty sure that he would recall the face of the boy that had thrown a slushie at his son and nearly blinded him.

Fortunately, there was no way that he would recognise Santana. His hardest task at the moment was keeping Brittany at his side, particularly when Jonathan had lashed out at her fiancée. That was when the whole situation changed. Nick's first instinct was to ignore Santana's instructions, and run over to help, but something held him back. Instead, he used the time to send a text to Sebastian, one which consisted of three letters - 'OMG!' Then, as a precaution, he decided to call Grace. He had considered calling Cooper, but he had quickly decided that now the police were involved his sister, a fully trained lawyer, would be the better option. She took her time to answer, and did not exactly sound pleased that he had called. When he told her were he was and what was going on, she said nothing - and then he heard her groan.

At that point the heard a scream, and he looked up to see Mr Anderson being forced onto the ground. Once he had got over his initial shock, he spoke quietly and urgently into the phone again. "Err, Grace, I think that the cops might just have arrested Coop's dad - yeah, that's affirmative, they are taking him into the Times Square office right now."

"Now that is an interesting turn of events. Ok, I am going to get in touch with Cooper and warn him. You take care of François - and by the way, he is staying at your place if the cops ask. And whilst we are at it, he was invited there by Mike, not you or Jeff. We don't want any potential clues to link any of us to him easily." Grace hung up, and Nick made his way over with Brittany to where Santana still stood with François.

"Right," said the lady in question when they arrived, "they have only taken him in there whilst they wait for a car to take him to the main office for this precinct; once he is gone, they want to take statements from the two of us."

"Ok, well I made a quick call to Grace, and told her what was going on. François, you are to tell the cops that you are staying at my place, but as a guest of Mike Chang. She thinks that my name and Jeff's, as ex-Warblers, need to be kept out of this, in case his lawyers are smart enough to pick up the Dalton connection. I also sent a text to Sebastian - when he replies, we will see about getting all of your stuff moved to the loft and placed in Mike's room. Grace is going to forewarn Cooper, and I guess I had better bring Mike up to speed too."

"Good. I have to warn you that he was coming out with all kinds of conspiracy theories. He is convinced that Blaine is not dead; that Cooper knows this and that the two of them are conspiring against him. If nothing else, he is going to be accused of being insane."

"I'm no expert yet," said Nick, "but I think that those allegations could be enough for Cooper to be able to get some kind of restraining order; force him to leave the city as he is a danger both to himself and his son. At least after this, there is no chance that he will be showing up at the theatre on Friday."

Santana nodded, and then whispered "Don't look now, but they are taking him away…"

As the cops forced Jonathan Anderson into the back of the squad car, he suddenly yelled out "I will get you for this Blaine! You and Cooper! You won't be able to fool everyone forever!"

"And that is our restraining order served up on a plate," said Nick with a grin. Then he turned to the young Frenchman that stood silently next to him. "You ok, François? This isn't exactly what you signed up for…"

"Non, mon ami, that is true. But thanks to this beautiful lady, we have managed to make it through, though I am not looking forward to talking with the police."

"Well, I can come in with you if you want. They will want you and Santana to talk separately, so we can say that I am part of your group, but that I witnessed nothing as I was elsewhere. Now, I am here to provide you with moral support."

François nodded gratefully, and moments later the four of them were inside the police office. Santana was taken in first, and Brittany was allowed to go in with her. As he waited with François, Nick checked his phone, and saw that Sebastian had finally replied, with an equally short 'Ok - what?' Nick replied at once with a short version of all that had happened. His response was again short - 'Oh dear ;-))))'

For a moment, Nick was curious, and then it hit him. Sebastian had been the one to suggest that they came to Times Square. Sebastian had known where the Andersons hotel was. They had been set up. Making a mental note to punch his friend later for not telling him in advance what he was up to, Nick smiled. It had been a cruel, and yet highly effective way of bringing a final end to the whole plan.

It was a grim faced Cooper that entered the Midtown North Precinct station on West 54th Street later that day, during the gap between his two scheduled run through performances. He had waited until he had been officially called by the police to react to the situation; and then he had called Grace and asked her if she could meet him in her professional capacity. She had agreed to come and be their at his side for his support, and to act as a lawyer for him, but she had no intention whatsoever of acting in that way for Jonathan Anderson. The police station was close to the theatre, and Grace had arrived there just as the first run was completed; so if their visit was quick enough, it would not disrupt Cooper's schedule too much, and he might even get something to eat. At the desk, Grace did all of the talking, her lawyer's hat well and truly on - but even as they stood there, they could both hear the man that they had come to see shouting in the background.

It was an angry man that joined Cooper ten minutes later in a small interview room, a guard posted at the door. Jonathan had glowered at his son from the moment that he had walked in, and Cooper had returned the favour. He was the one that proceeded to speak first. "I'm just wondering dad, when the moment was that our roles in this relationship swung round. When did you become the unruly, ill-behaved child, and make me the sensible, law-abiding, mature adult? What on earth were you thinking to attack an innocent foreign student; to try and abduct him? Did you really imagine that he was Blaine? How many times do you need to be told this - Blaine is dead! What will it take to convince you? I mean, do we need to go to Lima and exhume his body?"

"I know what I saw Cooper."

"Really? Because I have been shown the CCTV from Times Square. That kid was so darn pale, and if you'd forgotten, Blaine had the same olive complexion as mom. The poor kid also had an authentic set of French documents - the counsel was called from his offices to verify them as genuine. Grace did some checking up, and it turns out that his father is one of the most highly regarded lawyers in France… If he decides to file a complaint, and if that poor kid was my son, I most certainly would, then you will be sued for thousands, and the media will have a field day. I think that you seriously need to consider whether you should go for psychiatric help - and that is the line that Grace recommends that we pursue."

"I am not mad. I know exactly what I saw. I know what you are all up to!"

"What I am up to just now is trying to save you from yourself. You had better organise yourself a good lawyer, because if it does come to court, then this is one lawsuit that you will not win; there are far too many witnesses. And then of course, there is the whole question of why you chose to assault a cop…"

"He was asking for it, trying to stop me from dealing with my own child! I mean, who does he think that he is?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Cooper, his voice rising. "Maybe he thought that he was the LAW dad! Do you know something, if this is going to be your attitude, if you cannot admit that you got it wrong, the I wash my hands of you! You are on your own from now on in! By the way, just so that you know, the theatre has prepared a statement on my behalf, detailing my reaction to the actions of my estranged father, and the way it is worded, the sympathy of the public will come to me. Now, I have work to get back to…"

Cooper got up from the chair he had taken, and went to knock on the door so that he could exit. As he waited, the conversation that he had had with Grace as they had walked up from the theatre was in his mind. She had been doing research, but not in to the family of François Girard. Instead, she had decided to investigate the Andersons, and she had come across some very surprising information. It seemed that when Blaine had been admitted to hospital after Kurt's death, Pam Anderson had been in the city, as Cooper knew, but not where he had thought. He had been told she was at the Plaza Hotel, as Blaine had lain in his hospital bed at the Roosevelt Hospital a few blocks away. Grace had been suspicious when Jonathan had not elected to go there after he left Cooper's house - after all, wouldn't he elect to go to the same hotel as they always used? On checking, she discovered that the hotel had no record of Pam staying there at that time. She had dug around, and had discovered where his mother had actually been - she had been checked in to a residential detox clinic on the west side of Central Park. The news that her son was injured, and that his fiancé was dead had sent her treatment back, and she had returned to the solace of alcohol.

When the door opened, Cooper went to leave gratefully, but paused on the threshold to speak. "Oh, by the way dad, just in case you were interested, I got someone to go and check on mom. She is remarkably sober, and as a result, she was able to tell them a few things that I didn't know. She isn't at the hotel anymore - she has gone back to the rehab clinic; the one she was in when Kurt died. Just thought you should know…" He stepped out of the door before his father could respond. As the door shut behind him, he did not feel sad, all he felt was empty. He shook his head, and then, with Grace at his side, he headed back to the theatre to start his next run through.

In the meantime, François had been settled in temporarily in the spare bed in Mike's room at the loft. He had fallen in love with the space instantly, loving the fact that it was so much brighter than Sebastian's apartment. He and Caleb also hit it off perfectly straight away too. Sebastian arrived in a cab with all of his belongings, and he unpacked, at least for a couple of days. In his interview with the police, which was conducted entirely in French, he had told the police that he felt quite sorry for the poor man, who had obviously been driven to madness by the loss of a dearly loved son. Nick understood enough French to have to stifle a snort at that line. At the same time though, François had said that he did not feel safe in the city in the knowledge that he was there, and he wondered if there was anything that could be done to exclude the man from the city so that he could feel safe again. The police interviewer had nodded, and agreed to take all of his concerns into consideration, particularly as he was not going to press charges; and thus a tricky international situation was going to be avoided. Of course, it also avoided the police starting to dig too deeply and discovering that François was not totally unconnected to the situation in the first place…

By the time that Jeff arrived home from his shift at the diner, François had received a call from the police to tell them what was happening. A similar call had been made to Cooper. Mr Anderson had continued to refuse treatment for what were clearly mental health issues. A police doctor had assessed him, and her diagnosis was that he was emotionally confused by delayed grief - his response had been to brand her a charlatan. He had appeared before a judge, and had spun out all of his conspiracy theories; and she had made a decision. He was not going to be charged for either the attempted abduction, or the assault on the police officer, thus saving his reputation, on two conditions. Firstly, he was ordered to stay at least 100 miles from Manhattan at all times until further notice; and secondly, he was ordered to make a substantial donation to a charity chosen by the officer he assaulted. He had argued about the latter, and all that had happened was that the donation had been doubled.

The news had been greeted in silence by both the recipients of the call - Cooper in the wings, François surrounded by his friends with the call on speaker phone. In the latter case, the minute the call ended there was a loud cheer, and they celebrated. In the former, Cooper had sighed, and then smiled. The threat to his opening night was over for good. What made it all the better had been the last thing he had been told - his dad had been forced to write a cheque for $50,000 to a charity that assisted Gay and Lesbian youth. He knew that would have made parting with the money all the more painful for him.

With the threat from his father gone, and his mother being treated in rehab, Cooper felt as if the cloud that he had been living under for the last few weeks had finally been lifted. He would be eternally grateful to Sebastian for his devious mind which had allowed the whole scheme to take place. Everyone on the cast and crew at _Kinky Boots_ noticed that his performance after he had taken the phone call a third of the way through the second run through was far superior to that he had given in the first. He had been revitalised by the news, and now he felt able to direct all of his energies into his performance. He also had another plan of his own in the offing, but so far, only the director and a couple of trusted cast members knew anything about that…

Cooper also intended that François would be back with Sebastian the following night, now that the immediate danger had passed. Tonight though, he would be forced to stay with Niff. Sebastian for his part kind of wished otherwise, particularly when Santana invited herself over for dinner. He had nowhere to hide when she started to interrogate his old friend about his youthful misadventures in Paris. Yet for some reason, he did not stop him going into full detail of all he had done. Details that left Mike a blushing scarlet, and made Jeff cover the ears of a startled Caleb. When François finally paused for breathe, Sebastian interrupted. "Ok, I think we have all heard more than enough about my adventures in Paris that year. I was young, angry and promiscuous - a bit like Santana was with the football team at McKinley the same year, or so I am lead to believe…"

"Hmmm, I am going to have to kill Dave for that - but ok, no more talk about you and Paris, or I think Mike will combust! So François, have you seen Jeff's nude drawings of all the Warblers?"

There was silence for a moment, and then Mike of all people burst out laughing, shaking his head at his old friend's gall. Nick and Jeff joined in moments later, leaving François very curious as to what was going on. Eventually Jeff did go and fetch the folder; after looking at the first few, François said "I see that Guillaume is little changed - this drawing brings back memories…" That remark earned him another laugh from Mike - until he suddenly heard the young man say "Zut alors! I see that Tina is a very lucky girl!" Then he blushed scarlet again, and ran into the kitchen to make some coffee.


	34. Opening Night MkII

**Opening Night MkII**

In the run up to the big day on Friday, it gradually leaked out to everyone that François had been a plant, brought into the city with the soul purpose of scaring away the senior Andersons. Most people found the whole thing quite hilarious, and the fact that his father had subsequently been banished from the city was a bonus for them all. Isabelle did think initially that it was a bit cruel to have done that to his mother, given her issues, but she did approve of what had been done to his father, and was satisfied to discover that Cooper was covering the costs of his mother's new treatment.

Burt and Carole were a different story. They both felt that what had been done was a step too far, and that all they had achieved was a store of trouble for themselves later if the truth ever got to Jonathan's ears. As Burt pointed out, just because his father had been removed from the city, it did not mean that he would not have hired someone to watch over the house, particularly given his belief that Blaine was still alive. That would mean that they would have to be very careful indeed - that spy would only need to see François entering the house below to know that something was up. At the same time though, Burt had a solution that could remove that issue, and they all agreed that it was a very good one…

Cooper made contact with the police that had been dealing with his father's case, and asked if they could possibly arrange for him to meet the young man that his father had attacked, so that he could apologise on his behalf, seeing as one was not forthcoming from the man himself. They were initially reluctant to do so, but in the end, they relented. At the meeting on that Tuesday morning, at the theatre in front of witnesses, Cooper apologised profusely, and generously offered poor François a room in his own home for the remainder of his stay, and tickets for his opening night on Friday. After a show of reluctance, François agreed. The fact that the witnesses just happened to be representatives of the press and television stations didn't hurt. The story made the evening news; it was great publicity for Cooper and the show. It also meant that even if someone was watching, there was now a legitimate reason for François to be in the house; all it meant was that he had to enter upstairs, and then head back down the back stair to his room in Sebastian's apartment.

Before they knew it, Friday had dawned. Cooper had vanished from the house by the time that Grace woke up for work that morning - she knew that he had wanted to get to the theatre early, and go through it all one more time, supposedly in private, but she was certain that Kurt and Blaine would be there at his side. That was indeed the case, and they watched him, gave him tips, and for once, he listened to their suggestions to improve, and tried them out. In the meantime, all those that had been invited were converging on the city. The L.A. contingent had arrived first, having flown overnight, and were given a warm welcome at the Spotlight. When Flint and Beats arrived, the former was given a bit of a ribbing by Thad and David, but he didn't mind. He was far more concerned about the teasing he would get from the younger Warblers; somehow, the seniors in the current group had found out about his evening job too.

By the time that 5pm came, all those that were attending the show from the two groups of friends had assembled at the Spotlight Diner for a shared meal. Because of the nature of the business, it was impossible for all of the partners to be absent from work on the one day. As a result, Sam had worked the early shift, and then had headed up to Murray Hill for a nap in Cooper's guest room, before returning. Santana had worked a middle shift, and was just finishing as the others arrived - she had brought a change of outfit with her. All of the employed partners would be on duty the next day so that Michelle, Elliot and Dani could all go to his second night, using the free tickets that Cooper had provided. They were as keen as anyone else to go - as Elliot had put it, "Who doesn't want to go and see one of their male bosses parading around on stage in high heels?"

Along with the New Directions and Warblers that evening were Burt and Carole; Mrs Duval and her parents, all of whom had been invited by Grace at Cooper's insistence. She was as surprised as Nick when they arrived along with her aunt and cousin from Chicago; they too had been sent tickets by Cooper, along with a hotel reservation, so it would have been silly not to take advantage. Sue Sylvester had also been invited directly by him, and she came with Emma Schuester. Her reasoning behind it was that it was about time that Will was left to look after his three boys single handed for once. This statement was greeted with some concern by those of the New Directions who loved Mr Schue, but…. Emma was quick to reassure them that she had asked Shannon Bieste to pop in and keep an eye on all four of them. He himself would be coming to see Cooper the following weekend, and would be bringing the current New Directions with him.

Jasper and Brad had arrived at the dinner with Seth, Colin, Edward and Skylar in tow, the other senior Warblers meeting them at the theatre. For the Warblers already assembled in the city, this would be the first time they would see them that month; they would see them again the following week at Dalton's graduation day as was the tradition. This year would see Seth and Edward leaving Dalton, but the latter was taking a year out before college so that he and Colin could go together, and had arranged to do some tutoring work at the school for the year. It was a move that had the support of both sets of parents. "It's a minor miracle," Sebastian whispered to a bemused Trent, "A gay couple that met at Dalton with two sets of supportive parents!" Trent had to agree when he thought of Klaine and Niff. The last to arrive were Puck and Quinn, the latter having been held up at his base. Once they had appeared, Trent and Rory took full advantage of having so many of their friends in one place to hand out the official wedding invitations. They had in the end decided against a theme, or a formal dress code. Instead, they merely reminded everyone that it was July, it would be hot, and so dress smartly, but for the heat.

They moved on to the theatre after dinner en masse, and went by subway, causing a bit of a stir on the train due to the sheer size of their group. By the time they reached it, the line outside waiting for entry had begun to build up, and they joined the end, mixing together and chatting happily. Rachel was left to blush as Sam shared stripping tips with Beats and Flint; behind them, Quinn noticed her discomfort, but resisted the temptation to laugh. In any case, it seemed as if Puck was listening intently too, and she would hate for him to miss out on any tips…

Further back, Thad found himself standing behind Colin and Edward. They were standing hand in hand, discussing their future. At first that made him feel sad, but then as he listened to the sheer love and affection they held each other in, his heart began to fill with happiness for them. Then he felt a draught, and a hand on his arm. He did not even need to look to know that Wes was standing at his side, waiting to go in with him. He reached out and took his hand, and held it lightly, happy in the knowledge that thanks to Cooper, there would be an empty seat beside his for Wes to sit in. his arrival had been observed by Burt and Carole, who were shortly afterwards joined by Finn. He too had a seat reserved for him. As for Kurt and Blaine, they all knew that they would be in the wings for the whole show, cheering Cooper on.

Backstage, as the moment of truth grew ever closer, Blaine was engaged in the difficult business of ensuring that Cooper stayed calm. Grace had been due to pop in and see him, but she had called to say something had come up at work; she would make the show, but she wouldn't be able to see him beforehand. That had almost thrown Cooper, but Blaine had worked his magic, and now had him doing breathing exercises; memorising all of his cues, whilst at the same time not singing a single note. He had received flowers from Sam, Isabelle Wright, who was also attending, and to his surprise from Carmen Tibideaux.

Then it was time. The final call was made. Cooper turned to his two angelic companions as he waited off stage, and whispered "So, here goes! This is for you two. It should be you out there, not me. I just hope that my performance tonight can do the ones that you would have given justice."

"Break a leg, Coop," said Blaine with a smile. Then he moved aside, and stood, hand in hand with his husband, in the wings, waiting for the moment that the show would start.

Meanwhile, out in the auditorium, Grace Duval was heading to her seat as quickly as she could. As she moved to take her seat, a face that nobody thought they would see there that evening took the seat between herself and Carole carefully. The latter smiled at her, and quietly introduced herself, getting a broad smile in return. Not that far away, Sebastian was in a mild panic, grateful that the lights had begun to dim, and that his own seat was not easily seen from their row, particularly as François was sitting at his side. After all, after the events of the weekend, the last person anyone had expected to see, looking much better than she had only a week before, was Pam Anderson.

From the moment that he stepped out onto the stage, Cooper gave it his all - and was a triumph. He had the requisite gravitas for the sad songs, and an almost manic energy for the big numbers. His dance moves were flawless - and that was the considered collective opinion of Mike, Brittany and Jake, acknowledged as the best dancers amongst them. The slightly cocky grin he managed whilst hopping from one conveyor belt to another during _Everybody say Yeah_ had them all laughing and cheering. His final minutes, as he walked out on the stage in knee length high heeled boots had most of the guys and some of the girls in awe of his balance; both Nick and Jeff had 'borrowed' them one night and had fallen to the ground within seconds of trying to move in them, much to the amusement of Grace and Sebastian. The latter had more sense than to even attempt to try it.

Then it was all over, and the applause was deafening. People rose to their feet to cheer and not just his family and friends. From her seat near the front, Isabelle Wright clapped enthusiastically, whilst making a mental note to get a formal interview with Cooper sooner rather than later; he was a star in the making. In the seats where his friends were sitting, they were all of the same mind. "I feel that I have to point out how good he is!" said Santana with a grin.

"That is an excellent and valid point!" said Puck, with a smile, knowing exactly what she was referring to. However, he was also well aware that the arrogant Cooper that had first appeared in their lives in senior year was now long gone.

Then Cooper was stepping forward, and gesturing for silence, which he eventually received. "Ladies, Gentlemen and those that lie somewhere in-between, I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for coming and for the rapturous reception that you have just given us. I could not have done any of this without my wonderful and talented co-stars, who put up with a naive guy who thought that because he had done one commercial that he knew it all. The point is…" he paused as Santana laughed "…I had a lot to learn about the business of show, and I think that I have. My reason for being here tonight is simple. I am here for two people that aren't and should have been - my kid brother Blaine and his partner Kurt. They are the ones that should be here, gracing the stage and fulfilling their Broadway dreams, but the actions of one man robbed them of their lives. So tonight is for them, wherever they are - and if they are 'ghosts' then they are probably standing in the wings wishing that I would just get on with it…"

There was laughter at that, but later Sam would swear that he heard Kurt say "You've got that right!" below the hilarity.

Cooper waited until the laughter had died down, and then spoke again. "I would like to thank their friends, who became my friends, and have been nothing but a source of encouragement and support; and of course, Burt and Carole, Kurt's parents, who have treated me like a son ever since the day I lost my brother - and that brings me on to Sam Evans, my little brother's best friend, who decided he would be my new 'brother'. Remember that name, by the way; he has just finished his first year at NYADA, and one day he will be giving me a run for my money. Finally, there is one more person that I really do need to thank - and I would like her to come and join me on stage - so Grace, get up here! Ladies, Gentlemen, please give it up for the most long suffering woman in New York, my girlfriend Grace Duval!"

It took a few moments for Grace to realise that she had to head up to the stage. The applause had started again, but it was only when a spotlight suddenly shone on her that she actually began to move. The light also showed Cooper who was sitting between her and Carole for the first time; he mouthed the word 'Mom!' and Pam smiled back with a look of pride on her face that melted his heart. He felt that he could quite easily start to cry, but he couldn't lose it, not yet… Then Grace was walking towards him, and he took her hand, as at his side the two other leads made an appeal for silence. "Wow! I've just noticed that my mom made it! She's not been well and well… I love you mom!"

There was a collective "Aww!" from the audience and then they fell silent again as Cooper turned towards Grace. "So Grace, I did it! I couldn't have made it through all of this if I hadn't had you there by my side. It is ironic though that we might never have met if it wasn't for the hand of fate - but the moment that I saw you walk into that court room and sit by my side, I knew that you were the one for me. Anyway, I have been waiting to do this for a while, but I decided that it needed a special place and moment…" And then, Cooper very carefully lowered himself down on one knee, and everyone knew exactly where things were going. Nick suddenly knew exactly why the majority of his close family had been invited, and could only grin as Jeff grabbed his hand. "So, my Gracie, shall we make it official? Will you marry me?"

"Try and stop me, CJ! Of course I will marry you!" Then, as the auditorium once again erupted with applause, two newly engaged people, having swapped a ring, shared a loving kiss.

There was of course to be an after party to celebrate Cooper's big night, but it had now kind of morphed into an engagement party to which everyone of their friends and family was cordially invited. Thad had looked at Colin and Skylar pointedly, then had studied his watch. The two youngest of the Warblers had begun to look quite crestfallen, until he had smiled and said "Well, I guess that it isn't a school night, so I suppose that it is ok, just this once." At his side, David had just smiled, thinking to himself that those words were exactly what Wes would have used in the same situation.

They all headed straight to the party, not one of them heading to Cooper's dressing room to congratulate him, with one exception; someone who had to be escorted by her future daughter-in-law back to the clinic near Central Park in time for her curfew. They had waited a decent amount of time to allow him to change, and then Pam and Grace had made their way through the back stage area, still a hive of activity, to the door of a room with a star on it. Grace tapped lightly on the door, and then opened it to admit Pam. She herself remained outside, not wishing to disturb what she was sure would be a moment of mother son time.

Once Pam stepped in, there was an awkward moment of silence between them when they both just looked at each other. In the end, she decided to speak first. "You were so good tonight son. Your brother would have been so proud of you - I know that I am."

"Thanks mom," said Cooper, with a slight catch of emotion in his throat. "It was good to have you here… I am so glad that you came."

"So am I, or I would have missed your big proposal. That girl is definitely a keeper, so please try not to screw it up!"

"She is pretty special… Look, mom, I am not promising that things between us are ever going to be easy, but if you can stay off the drink, and you can promise me that you will not bring dad with you, then maybe you and I could see each other from time to time, if you'd like that. Because I still love you mom, and that will never change…"

"I would love to see you… I thought that I had lost my sons. I can't ever get Blaine back, and that will always break my heart, but I can try and be a better mom to you from now on, and a good grandmother to your future children."

"It might be a bit too soon for grandchildren yet mom, but I would love to have you around again, like you were when I was growing up, and I definitely want you there at my wedding."

"That's a lot more than I deserve after the way that I have behaved. I never stopped loving you, or Blaine, I just got confused, and your father…"

"I know mom…" said Cooper, getting out of his chair and going over to hug his mother close to his chest. They were still locked in that hug, tears on both of their faces, when Grace knocked on the door again, and came in - it was time for her to leave with Pam. She did so with a hug for the young woman that would be her daughter-in-law. Once they had gone, Cooper sat back down, and let the tears roll down his face unchecked. He didn't even need to look up to know that Blaine was standing right behind him, but when he did, he saw that his brother was crying the same happy tears as he was. After all, it wasn't every day that you managed to get your mom back…

When Cooper and Grace eventually walked into the party half an hour later, they were greeted by another round of applause. Cooper was barely in the door when he was grabbed by Nick and Jeff, serious looks on their faces. They marched him over to a table in the corner, and sat him down. Nick sat down opposite him, whilst Jeff stood behind him, arms folded across his chest. "Ok, Hummel-Warbler" said Nick, "It's time for the 'so you are marrying my sister' talk. I would like you to know that Santana had several suggestions of what I should say at this point, involving knifes and parts of your anatomy; but to be honest, it was all too gory, so let's just settle for this. You hurt my sister, and Blaine's brother or not, I will set Santana loose on you! That is far more of a threat than anything I could say or do."

Cooper shook his head, and tried not to laugh. "I faithfully promise you here and I now that I will not hurt Grace, bro-in-law to be - at least not intentionally"

"Ok, so we are good. Now, mom will want to interrogate you with her parents and my aunt Alice - so you and Grace can enjoy that, whilst Jeff and I go and dance," said Nick. Cooper then found himself shepherded by the two boys to another table where his four future in-laws were sitting with his wife-to-be. He was glad that he was not facing them alone, and even happier to see that Burt, Carole, Sam and Rachel were also sitting there, just in case he needed someone to defend him.

It was nearly 3am by the time that Cooper and Grace got home to Murray Hill that night. All the way home in the cab, as she lay against him, she had been staring at the ring that he had given her that night. It was understated and classic, just what she would have chosen herself. They walked up the steps arm in arm, then once they had the door shut behind them, took a quiet moment just to hold each other close. "It has been quite a night, CJ. You make a mark on Broadway, and then you propose to one of the most eligible women in New York…"

"The most beautiful and eligible woman in New York, I would have you know. Plus, thanks to her, I have managed to build a bridge back to my mom."

"Yeah, I decided that if Nick could have two mothers-in-law, then I should too, in the form of Pam and Carole. Us Duvals must just be gluttons for punishment.

Cooper laughed, and then said, "Oh, me too. I mean, I have just agreed to become related to Nick and therefore Jeff…"

"I will tell them you said that!"

"You would too, and that is one of the things I adore about you. I love how honest you are. It is a trait that I hope our kids will have too."

"Kids, eh? Let's give it a few years yet, ok? But just so you know, I do want to have your kids, CJ… All I pray is that they turn out like Blaine…"

Cooper stared for a moment, and then burst out laughing, as did Grace. Then he took her into his arms, and kissed her again. He had never felt so happy as he did at that moment, and it was a feeling he was sure would never end.


	35. Dalton and Reconnecting

**Dalton and Reconnecting**

The end of May and the beginning of June marked a busy period for the majority of the partners. As the business continued to go from strength to strength, new ideas were tried out under the experienced eyes of Michelle, and investment was made in new equipment. An ice cream maker appeared in the kitchen of the diner as Michelle was under the opinion that they could cut costs and win sales, if rather than purchasing ice cream from a wholesaler, they made their own product on the premises. It allowed them to increase the range of flavours available, and also to experiment with new ones that they created of their own. Some of them had been doubtful about the idea at first, but once the first scoops had been sold and the word about how good it was spread, they quickly saw that demand could exceed supply if they were not careful. They soon discovered that whilst the more standard flavours sold well, a daily experimental flavour could also succeed. They had the most success with a Green Tea flavour, suggested by Tina; an Apple and Cinnamon, suggested by Artie, and Cookie Sensation, created by Nick. The latter did not come without a crisis - when Jeff saw Nick taking an entire batch of his favourite peanut butter, choc chip and ginger cookies and bash them into smithereens to add to the mix, his wails had been heard half way down the block. It took Nick several hours to even get Jeff to speak to him. In the end, it was when he tried the resulting ice cream - and realised that it was even better than the cookies, that the two resumed normal relations.

It was also the start of the holiday season, but no-one was venturing far that year. Mike and Tina did head off for a fortnight staying with Mercedes in L.A. and during their time in the city, they got to see a lot of the places that they had dreamed about on the West Coast. As for the Warblers, they were all home birds that year. They had all left the city though en masse - Santana referred to it as a migration - on the last Thursday of the month, heading back to Ohio, to see the eldest members of the current group graduate, as was the tradition. They were joined on the journey by François. His original reason for coming to the States was over, but he was in no hurry to return home. He had an open ended ticket, and Sebastian was happy to let him stay, so when Trent and Rory asked him to stay until their wedding, he agreed. They had all agreed that he should come with them to Dalton, mainly as they did not want him to be left alone for the two nights they were due to be away; Dave was coming, and with Mike in L.A., and Jeff absent too, Santana, Brittany and Sam would be busy at the diner.

It turned out to be an interesting trip for him. He was fascinated by the whole set up of the school, and when he was introduced to Principal Lefevre, the two bonded quickly. It turned out that his maternal grandmother was a Lefevre, and after a lot of chat, they discovered that both of them had links to one small town in the Loire Valley, which was also the long time home of the Girard family. Sebastian could only shake his head as he pondered once again just how small the world seemed to be. Nick and Jeff spent a lot of time with Dylan, Jeff's cousin, who was now a very popular member of the teaching staff. He had also become a firm favourite of the Carmichael's, for reasons that he did not know - not that he was objecting.

On graduation day itself, Thad had to face up to something that he had known would be coming, but had dreaded. As Head Warbler, he would have to stand up on the podium and make a speech, just as Wes had done the year before. He had initially sought out his help, but aside from a few tips on overcoming his nerves about public speaking, Wes had declined to have an input, telling Thad merely that he had confidence in his abilities to deliver. When he had taken to the lectern, all of his former classmates had crossed their fingers for him, and hoped for the best. In the end, the speech he gave was strong, clear and inspiring, and when he finished, he received a round of applause that made him blush. It then fell to him to hand out both that year's Klaine Medal, and a new prize, the Montgomery Cup to the recipients.

After the main graduation ceremony, the former Warblers had made their way to join the current group in the senior commons to congratulate the new graduates, and then they had made their way together to the foot of the main stair, where it had been decided to place the official memorial to Wes. There had been much discussion about what form it should take, but in the end, it had been decided that a stone carving of a group of birds, flocking around one in the centre, summed up the man perfectly. The fact that the one in the centre resembled a blackbird was no coincidence. Tears were shed as it was officially dedicated, and not just among the gathered boys - an angel might have been standing on the landing above them, his white wings drooping, as he cried…

Afterwards, Thad had headed out from the school and the festivities alone to lay a bunch of roses at the spot where they had buried the urn of ashes the year before. It was now marked by a cairn of stones, and next to it, the small rose bush that he and David had planted the year before was thriving. As he sat there and took in the spectacular view, he felt a draught, and Wes joined him. They sat there in silence for almost an hour, the younger man leaning on the angel's shoulder. Then Wes told Thad he had to go, and that he had best return to the school anyway. They parted, and as he walked back to Dalton, Thad was passed by Nick, Jeff and Sebastian on their way up with flowers too. Indeed by the end of the day, all of his former boys had made their way to the spot, alone or in small groups, to leave a tribute. They all knew that Wes was not there, but they had to adhere to convention and pretend that he was; Trent more than anyone else as he guided Mitch up there for the first time.

On the day after graduation, as everyone else headed for home, Sebastian instead made his way back to a place that he had left behind eighteen months before, and vowed never to return to. It was not home to him anymore; had ceased to be long ago. It was now merely the house his father had grudgingly allowed him to come back to from Dalton. On the day that he had left to head to New York, and take his chances in the big city living with Niff, he had given the front door key back to his father when he demanded it, and then lectured him about how ungrateful he was. What the older man did not know was that his son had a copy of the back door key, and he had retained it for just such a moment as this. The house when he arrived was just as he had hoped it would be - deserted. There was no sign of his father or his young wife, no doubt at the country club as always. Sebastian had never had much time for his 'stepmother' and the feeling had been mutual; after all, she was only a few years older than him.

He was glad they were absent, just as long as the hunch that he had paid off. It had. He could see at once that the lock on the front door had been replaced, his father no doubt fearing that he had made a copy of the key he had given back with a smirk. The lock on the back door was exactly the same though, and the key worked first time. Sebastian was also sure that thinking that his son would not be able to enter via the front door, his father would not have done anything to change the code for the burglar alarm. It turned out that he could read his father like a book.

He wandered through the house, noticing that it had been totally redecorated in a style which he could best sum up as garish and vulgar, obviously the work of his stepmother. His father's study, however, was totally unchanged, and as a result, the target of his visit still resided in the same drawer that it always had done. Sebastian found the number he needed, and saved it into his phone. He could have left after that, but he could not resist taking a quick look upstairs at his old room. It turned out to be a waste of time, as on opening the door, he found that it had been converted into a yoga and exercise room. That did anger him - he had not liked living here, but he had not expected to find all trace of his existence erased; he had hoped to find he still had a room here if he needed it, a small sign that his father might actually care… In a brief moment of anger, he returned to the kitchen, then came back up. He used a knife to make a tiny slit in the oversize exercise ball, giving it a slow puncture. And ok, he might have taken some prawns from the freezer, and hidden them underneath the carpet. After all, sometimes we all needed to get a little bit of revenge on the people that had helped to make your life hell…

Having left the house without leaving any evidence that he had actually been there, and having been seen by no witnesses, Sebastian headed to the airport. He had been tempted to leave a note, but had decided that he might need to visit again one day, and if he announced his presence, his father would take measures to prevent him getting back in. As it was, the hole in the exercise ball would be attributed to wear and tear, and by the time that anyone identified where the smell of rotting fish was coming from, the prawns would have decomposed into nothing. On his arrival at the airport, he discovered to his joy that his flight was running an hour late. He sent a quick message off to Dave, who would by now be back in New York, and let him know that he would be held up, and then settled down to wait for his flight. He momentarily regretted his decision to pay a visit to his father's house, as he thought of how the majority of the others would be either home or well on their way there, and he was stuck in an almost deserted airport.

He decided to make use of his time, and to use the phone number he had obtained now. That way he would have the excuse of his flight being called to hang up if he felt the need to. He hoped that he wouldn't, but it didn't hurt to have that option. He pulled the number up, took a deep breath, and then hit call. The call connected, and began to ring at the other end; it did so for so long that Sebastian was just about to hang up, when it was answered with a breathless "Hey" at the other end. There it was. A voice that he had not heard for more than five years…

"Hey Jules, it's Sebastian…"

There was silence at the other end for a moment, and his heart fell, waiting for the call to be ended. But then, the voice, now less breathless, and quiet, spoke again. "My God! Hey Seb. It has been a long time. Far too long little bro."

"Yeah, it has. I lost my phone somewhere en route to Paris, and with it all my numbers. Then when I didn't hear anything from you…"

"And I thought that you had cut me off. I kept calling, and all of my calls just went to voicemail; and you never called back…"

"I couldn't… Then things got rough; I was miserable, and I really thought…"

"…that I had rejected you, just like dad? I thought that you had decided to reject me. We are so alike. I guess that is what comes from being related to an idiot like dad, huh?" Sebastian laughed, and couldn't help but smile as he heard his brother doing exactly the same. "So, how have you been, Seb? I heard about the whole Dalton debacle from father dearest, but that wasn't until last year, after the trial was over. He told me that he didn't think that I needed to know about the disgrace you had brought on the family until then. I wanted to call you there and then, but he told me he didn't have a number for you, or an address…"

"That's true. He never wanted me back living with him, and after one last argument I decided that enough was enough, and cut him out of my life. He only has eyes for her anyway…"

"The bimbo? Yeah, I noticed last time I saw him. He hardly calls me anymore, and to be honest, I don't really care. He was never going to win any awards for father of the year."

The two brothers carried on their conversation for the remainder of the time that Sebastian was waiting for his flight. Sebastian made a full and frank confession to his brother of all of his antics at Dalton, leaving nothing out. In return, Julian told him how he had recently returned to the States, having spent the last few years in Sydney. The fact that his brother had been in Australia for all of that time was news to Sebastian, and he cursed his father for not having the decency to tell him what his older brother had been doing. After that, he told his brother all about how he was now a reformed character; that he was now a one man guy, settled, happy and engaged in New York.

"Well, I wish that I could say the same. I came back to the States for my new job, and it is great. I still haven't met the right person. I mean, I have seen a lot of women, and let's just say that I might have played for your team a couple of times…"

"Ok, Jules, a little too much information! But wow, and I can't say I have ever been remotely tempted to join yours…"

"That I can well believe. I always knew that you were gay, little bro. I am so pleased to hear that you've found the one; me, I will carry on looking for Miss Right. So, you are based in NYC? Well, we couldn't live further apart if we tried. I am in the west, but not quite the coast - I live in a little place called Paradise, Nevada - just outside of Las Vegas."

"Oh, my God! My brother is living in Vegas! That settles it, I am so going to have to come and pay you a visit!"

"Anytime, little bro. Just make sure and bring that fiancé of yours so I can give him the full speech about not hurting my little brother."

At that moment, the tannoy announced that Sebastian's flight was now boarding, and with great reluctance, Sebastian realised that he would have to end the call. He was happy to hear the same disappointment in his brother's voice when he told him that he would have to go. "Ok, Seb. I'm going to call you again soon - in fact, let's say tomorrow evening. I take it that you will have Skype?"

"Yeah, I do. I will text you my Skype ID and then we can talk on there rather than on the phone. It will give me a chance to see how much older you look."

"Hmm, I guess that you will see that I am now all wrinkled and ancient - I am only ten years older than you don't forget. Right, I will let you go and get on your flight. I am so glad that you called - though you never did tell me how you managed to get my number?"

"I was in Ohio for a Dalton thing, and I took my chance. I stole it from dad's organiser when I let myself into the house with a back door key that he doesn't know that I have…."

"Naughty! I'm glad to see that despite being all grown up relationship wise, you are not entirely changed from the little rascal I knew."

"Ok, Jules, I really do have to go. We will speak tomorrow. Love you, big bro!"

"Right back at you!"

Sebastian ended the call, and hurried over to join the back of the line at the gate. He felt a warm glow in his chest. He had reconnected with the one member of his family that he actually cared about, the only one that had ever really cared for him. He thought he had lost them, but maybe now… He would have to remember and thank Grace for putting the idea into his head. At least now, when the time came for him to marry Dave, he would have one close relative at the wedding to share his happy day.


	36. Designs and Summer Plans

**Designs and Summer Plans**

The first week in June was a busy one for Trent and Rory. They had a wedding to prepare for in less than eight weeks. It had been an easy decision in the end to reject the idea of a theme, but that didn't mean that all the difficult issues were easier to resolve. It had been simple enough to call up Rory's Nana in Clane, and convince her that she should have an 'assistant' on the flight across. She was aging, but she was still pretty capable; then again, she had never flown in her life before, and who knew how she would cope with the confines of a transatlantic economy flight? In the end, with a little bit of persuasion, the young priest in Clane that had welcomed Rory with a handshake on his final visit to town had been prevailed upon to write a letter to a convent in Dublin. This missive was a request for a sister, of a similar age, to accompany an increasingly frail old lady to her grandson's wedding in the United States - all expenses to be paid, and a donation made by a grateful family.

Of course, there had been no guarantee that the correct nun would be selected for the task. Fate once again appeared to be on their side. When she had travelled up to the convent to see the Mother Superior with the assistance of Mrs Flynn, Agnes had talked about her life growing up in a particular village on the west coast of Ireland, and of her childhood there; it turned out that Rory's nun, Sister Mary Agnes, had also grown up there, and so a connection was forged. It would have been churlish for the Mother Superior to refuse when Agnes requested her for her travelling companion. Of course, the whole thing was a fake; Agnes had merely memorised a crib sheet that Rory had made for her with the help of the good sister… As for Mrs Flynn, she had accepted her invitation with no hesitation, and made quite a show of it amongst the neighbours, including Rory's parents. Both Rory and Séamus had agreed that it would be silly for the three women to travel all that way for just a couple of days; and so after the weddings in Washington, they would travel on to New York. Cooper had offered to put them up, but Rory had decided to book rooms at the New Yorker. So the flights were all booked, as where the train tickets from Washington to New York.

The menu for the wedding also seemed to be quiet a simple choice. The food at Séamus' wedding to Becca would be on a modern American theme, with just a slight nod to her mother's Southern heritage. For Trent and Rory, the idea was a simple menu of good food, with a big nod in the direction of the traditional Irish cuisine that they both enjoyed. As for a bachelor party - well, after much consideration, they had rejected the idea. They had both enjoyed themselves at the one that had been held for Niff last year, and had fond memories of Sam's routine and of the freedom they had felt that night as they danced in the club to just be themselves. The idea of a drunken night in Washington DC was not one that appealed as much, and would never live up to the bar already set, and so they had decided instead on a tea party of sorts with Séamus the day before his wedding. To say that the words 'tea party' had gone down like a lead balloon amongst their friends would not have been an understatement. It was their choice, and they all agreed to respect it, even Santana. Her initial idea of kidnapping them and dragging them to a bar in Princeton with the help of a certain meerkat had been abandoned even before Sebastian had been told he would be involved.

The biggest problem was, it turned out, their wedding suits. It wasn't that they could not decide on what they wanted - matching suits, in a tasteful light grey, made of linen for both style and comfort in the heat of a Maryland summer. It was more a case of finding them, and in a cut that they both liked. They gave up on the stores in DC after a frustrating search; they tried on-line, and headed further south into Virginia, but to no avail. Watching over them from above, one angel in particular shared their pain and was increasingly frustrated that he could not do more to help them.

"If I was still alive Blaine," Kurt said in exasperation, "I would design them something myself, then find the material and make them up, as I did with ours. I even went to my mom and asked about it, but it just is not possible! I could draw a design, but it would be invisible, except to our friends - and let's face it, none of them is capable of making up the suits to the standard that is required!"

It was an issue, and it seemed insurmountable, until suddenly, Blaine realised that the solution was staring them in the face. What if Kurt drew the designs, and then took it to the artist of the group, Jeff? Could he not then copy them out in his own steady hand, and pass those drawings on to a tailor? His eureka moment earned him much love from Kurt. So it was that on the first Friday of June, Kurt went to visit Trent and Rory with three possible designs for their suits. All of them were beautiful, and it was only after much debate that one was finally chosen. This was then taken by Kurt to Jeff, who sat in silence for hours copying it out in minute detail; all of the most important things, from the cut to the detail of the stitching had to be provided. Finally, it was just a question of getting it made, and Kurt again knew who they could call on to find someone. Thus it was Isabelle that took the designs to someone who could turn it into a paper pattern, and then on to a tailor. With the measurements of the two grooms taken in detail, it was no time at all before the suits were being made. And, as if by luck, the tailor she had found had just taken delivery of two bolts of dove grey pure Irish linen….

That wasn't exactly luck either. Angels could use their influence on the world to the benefit of those that they were guardian to, or those with whom they had had a close relationship on earth. Just as Blaine had managed to place the perfect suits and shoes in a second hand clothing store in Berlin for Nick and Jeff; just as Kurt had managed to send a delivery of Daltonesque bowties to Selfridges for the same couple; so now Wes had arranged for the perfect material to be delivered, in error, to the tailor that he knew Isabelle would select. The man in question had been on the point of returning it when the suit order had arrived with a courier, along with a note from Isabelle, personally requesting that he try and find Irish linen for the young men they were for. The tailor had laughed, and the rest, as they say, was history.

As he progressed with the order, the tailor found himself increasingly impressed with the attention to detail that the designer had. It was all so right, and the drawings he had been given so well executed and specific that he felt compelled to ask Isabelle who had produced them. That left the lady in question with a dilemma; she could hardly turn round and say that they had been drawn last week by someone that had actually died nearly two years ago. So she left it at the truth to a point; that the design had been created by a mutual friend of herself and the two grooms, who had asked to remain anonymous. The tailor accepted this, and asked no more. However, one of his staff was more curious, and had noticed a clue. When he had copied out the drawings, Jeff had done what he had always done when he drew, in all innocence. As a result, every single one was marked with his initials - JS-D….

The beginning of June also saw Nick and Jeff house hunting. Not for themselves, as they were more than content with the loft, but for two young people that were very close to their hearts. Luke, Jeff's cousin, had now graduated from high school, and in a few weeks he and Duncan would be trading in the peace and quiet of their lives in rural Vermont for the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. Their parents had known for a while that this day would come, and having survived as the only out gay kids in a small town high school, they could probably deal with the worst that the city could throw at them too. It did not stop them worrying any less. It was for that reason that Jeff's mother Elspeth had called him, and asked if he and Nick could assist by finding an apartment, close to their own, that was within the tight budget that the two boys families could afford.

Such a task was no longer as easy in Bushwick as it had been when Kurt had been seeking a home, their own loft, for himself and Rachel. The area had been up and coming then, but now it was on trend, and as a result, rental had risen steadily for the most part, and in some pockets, astronomically. That did not make the task impossible, it just meant that there would have to be compromises. The apartment would either have to be a little smaller than they might have liked, or they would have to find a roommate to share with them. There was no shortage of options, and Nick attempted to find something at first by going through the online listings and printing off those that he felt were a possibility. All this did was create a pile of paper that only Caleb found interesting. Even when they tried to narrow things down by concentrating on certain streets, based on local gossip and the greater knowledge of the area that Rachel and Santana had, there were still so many possible that it would take weeks to see them all. It was then that Mike made a suggestion that turned out to be the clincher. They should ask someone who had lived in the area all her life for her opinion - the cashier at the corner store.

It was a fruitful conversation, as thanks to her, they found a gem. It wasn't listed online, or even in a store window yet. It belonged to her sister; she had bought it for her son when he had married, back in the day when the area was unpopular. The son and his new wife, both raised in the area, had moved in, and had spent time lovingly restoring all the original features of the two bedroom apartment in a traditional block. Their first child had been brought home to the same place, and they had appeared settled. But now, two years later, he had been offered a promotion at work - more money and better prospects. They were expecting a second child, so that was wonderful. The issue was that whilst the job was still in the state, it was at the office in Albany. Continuing to live in the city would not be an option if he took it. They had no option but to move.

They did not want to sell the little apartment that they had been so happy in though. At some point in the future, they might wish to return to the city, and with the price of property rising so fast, keeping the foothold was advantageous. So they were looking for a trustworthy and careful tenant to move in. As the friendly cashier said, she knew Nick and Jeff, and if it was for a member of their family that they were willing to vouch for… So it was that two days later a smartly dressed Nick and Jeff made their way to the building. They had expected the place to be nice from all they had been told. They had not expected for it to be gorgeous. For a moment they had looked at each other and considered taking it themselves, and letting Luke and Duncan have the loft. After all, there was even a second bedroom for Mike. Jeff's finger had been right above his number on his phone, about to call him… Then they decided that they could not do that to the two younger boys. They agreed that they should stay where they were, but that one day, once college was over, and they were working, they would look for a place like this for themselves. The deal was therefore done; the papers were signed off, and the deposit paid. All that now remained to be done for the two soon to be city residents was to source some furniture; and advertise for a roommate, although that could be done in due course…

Time flew by for them all that month. Without the stresses of college, the days were lazier to a certain extent. There were still books to be read for the start of the following years work. They had jobs to go to - the Law Library was quiet again, and Nick spent much of his time at the issue desk reading his own text books to give himself something to pass the time. He wondered as he did so if the place was always like this in June; this time last year he had been in Europe, and there was a part of him that wished that they were there again now, but this time, just him and Jeff. They had seen so little of the continent when he thought about it. He pictured them heading to Italy, and strolling round Venice with Jeff's hand clasped firmly in his own; imagined feeling so young as he stood amongst the roman remains in what had been the capital of their empire. If not Italy, then they could travel to explore the chateaux of the Loire Valley, or the mountains of Austria - he had an immediate vision of himself feeding Sachertorte to Jeff in Vienna. That made him smile - it had to be a far safer cake than the one that Jeff had fed to him in Amsterdam…

As for the young man in question, he was passing his time when he wasn't at the diner making more drawings for his portfolio. The growing Caleb was a feature in many of his latest works. Somehow the little cat knew that he had to stay still when Jeff was drawing him - then again, it was warm and Caleb did sleep a lot of the time, at least during the heat of the day. The vet was very happy with him - he was no longer underweight, as he had been in March; but all the books had been right, and Caleb would never be a father. That made Jeff sad, but he could understand that. He was in the same boat after all, though in his case that was by choice. He was also pleased by the fact that a couple of his drawings had been chose to be shown in the college's summer exhibition - one of his drawings from last summer in Paris, which he had reworked and perfected; and one of himself, drawn in January, in which he was shirtless, thus showing his two tattoos. They were attracting a lot of attention amongst all the visitors, and more importantly, amongst the critics.

For the NYADA students, the summer was a time when they had not just jobs to go to, but auditions. Marley got very lucky indeed, and landed herself a temporary part in the chorus of _Funny Girl_ when one of the cast broke her ankle; it was only a short term role, but as both Kitty and Ryder pointed out to her, she was on Broadway! On top of that, her performance had made both the director and theatre manager take note, and she found herself offered a job as an usher after her stage role ended. She accepted it on the spot as it would be a great way to study the production and the theatre in depth, and would not interfere with her studies.

Santana got a part time job with a children's theatre company in Brooklyn, where she passed on what she was learning to the young hopefuls, and helped them to organise a show of their own to mark the end of the summer holidays. Sam landed him self a small part in an off-Broadway production at his second audition. He had been successful at his first audition too, and the part was bigger, but he had to turn it down. Rachel had freaked out big style when he told her he had been offered a leading part in _Naked Boys Singing._ The audition process had been good experience though, as he had to perform in what would have been his stage costume and that had calmed his nerves no end. When he had been told about it, Sebastian had laughed his head off, before announcing that he had a part in the programme of summer plays in Central Park. The only drawbacks were the vagaries of the weather, and the fact that as it was a Shakespearean piece, he had to wear tights. Still, if Mike Chang could do so nightly in his summer shows at the Lincoln Center, then so could he!

As for Cooper, he put on his high heeled boots eight times a week, and was only free on a Monday. It wasn't an ideal situation for a newly engaged couple if he and Grace were entirely honest, but they made it work. Grace convinced her boss that she could just as easily work Tuesday to Saturday rather than Monday to Friday, and that she would get more done on the final day as the office would be much quieter. This meant that after his show on Sunday, he and Grace had nearly 36 hours when neither of them had to be anywhere else. They had no idea how long an engagement they wanted, and both realised that a lot would depend on their jobs. What they did know was that Kurt had promised, on the back of what he had done for Trent and Rory, to design a wedding dress for Grace that would make it look as if Kate Middleton had bought hers from Walmart; the suit he designed for Cooper would also be the talk of the town. Of course, word of his promise got out, as did the fact that he had designed suits for Trent and Rory - and thus he found himself designing dresses for Brittany, Santana and Tina; the latter had made him swear he would not mention that fact to Mike…

For those that lived away from New York, the month was also turning out to be busy. In Washington DC, Trent and Rory were not just busy with the plans for their wedding, but also hard at work for Burt. They knew that on the last Friday of the month, the Supreme Court would make a ruling that would change the world; a ruling that Blaine had always longed to see, but had said, ironically as it happened, to all the Warblers the day before Wes had graduated from Dalton, that he did not think it would happen in his lifetime. Had Hunter not have come into their lives, then just maybe his statement would have turned out to be untrue… Then there were the discomfiting rumours that a well known businessman (and reality TV star) was thinking about running for President for the Republicans. That had them all concerned, particularly Burt, who thought that the guy might well be insane. All of this meant that they had a lot of E-mails to send and a lot of speeches to write. Then there were the endless meetings and the growing mountain of correspondence that had to be answered on Burt's behalf.

It barely left them time to deal with their own mail, amongst which were the first replies to the invitations that they had posted out. Ethan had been first, and his reply was a yes - he had also confided in Trent that his flight back to the States would be on a one way ticket, and that he would be completing his studies at Princeton. He had not told anyone, apart from Drew, that his decision was now official. Trent swore that he would say nothing to anyone, even Rory, about it - but the knowledge had left him with mixed feelings. It would be good to have Ethan back stateside; he had always been a good friend to him. It would, however, mark the end of yet another of Dalton's epic bromances - with Wevid already gone, that left them with only Fleats. He knew that people moved on, and had to, as they grew older; as school was left behind in all its forms and the world of work approached, but it still made him feel quite sad that Ethan and Drew would be thousands of miles apart after a friendship that had been so close for so long.

What Trent did not know was that a new bromance was growing all the stronger as each day went on in L.A. When Wes had been alive, the two had been friends, but each was closer to Wes for their own reasons. Now without his presence, they had realised that they cared for each other deeply, and that they had a lot of things in common. Mercedes had no issue with the fact that she could see Thavid developing in front of her. In fact, she liked it, as in some ways, having Thad around was a bit like having certain aspects of Kurt back in her life. He had a good eye for fashion, and for what was a no-go; he could use this to discretely advise David for her benefit. She and Thad could also sit down over a coffee and talk about all of the latest gossip, whilst at their side David just sat and rolled his eyes.

Still, he was glad that his girlfriend and his 'brother from another mother' got on so well. It did make life quite easy for him. He was certain that Mercedes was the woman for him now, but he had not even considered the possibility of getting down on one knee and proposing to her yet though. He had college to finish, and she had a career to build up. Her debut album was coming up for release, and her two singles released so far had both made a number of playlists as they had rocketed up the charts. They had discussed the idea that he be named officially as her long term boyfriend, but he had decided that as long as it was made clear that he existed, then he didn't want his name splashed all over the gossip columns, or his photograph displayed on websites. So they went to small, discrete places for their nights out; to cosy little restaurants for meals. Heck, he had even learnt to cook some very basic recipes so that they could eat in from time to time, thanks to a lot of conversations with his mother and to a lesser extent, Nick. Thad was also good at making himself scarce at those times, having no problem with going to hang out with either Jake or Unique when the need arose. All in all, life was good.


	37. A Blast from the Past

**A Blast from the Past**

It was in the final full week of June that Luke and Duncan made their big move to the city. When they had initially named the date, both Nick and Jeff had been free to help. Then Nick was called up the night before by his boss at the library, and begged to come into work the next day. One of his colleagues had phoned in sick, and the place was already short staffed due to vacations. As he had been so good last year in giving him so much time off, first for his month long sojourn in Europe, and then for the aftermath of Wes' death, Nick felt obligated and agreed. Jeff then found himself in a similar situation at the diner. Despite the best laid plans of Michelle, she suddenly found herself facing a staff drought. Mike, Sam and Santana were all performing; she had given Elliot the day off to go and visit a friend in New Jersey, and then Flint had arrived without the promised Beats. She had sounded so desperate on the phone that Jeff had also felt he had no option. He had been left to hand the keys to his Aunt Moira as she arrived in one van, and then dash off to work, full of profuse apologies. It did upset him, as he had promised that he would be there to help his cousin settle in and he did not like letting people down. This mood remained with him for the rest of the day, and the happy smiling face he showed at the diner was a mask that had been really firmly pasted on. Flint had spotted that right away when Jeff walked in, and made sure that he himself handled all the awkward customers. Then when his own shift was due to end, he volunteered to stay on another three hours so that Jeff could get away again. That gesture earned him the biggest of all possible hugs.

It was about 6pm by the time that the subway got Jeff back to Bushwick, and on leaving the station, he turned in the opposite direction to usual. He had of course made one important check first; Mike was at home, and he had fed Caleb. He himself was now relaxing on the couch in front of the television, with a contented cat purring away on his lap. So it was no issue for Jeff to run round and welcome his cousin to the city properly, and then bring him back to the loft for a late dinner. It wasn't as if the two boys could not cook - his aunt Moira had seen to that - but they were in the same position that he and Nick had been in when they had first moved to the city, and before a series of cookery lessons had released inner chef in Nick. Their diet would consist of a lot of convenience foods and takeaway as it was easier.

On arriving at his destination, he ran quickly up the steps to the street door, not in the least surprised that it was propped open in the summer heat. He walked up the steps inside the building until he reached the front door of the apartment - and paused on the landing. The door was ajar, and Jeff shook his head, knowing that he would have to remind them that they were no longer in small town rural Vermont; and however nice the immediate neighbourhood looked, you just did not leave your apartment door open like that. A part of him was tempted to sneak in, grab something of value, and then leave again, just to illustrate why. It had been a long day, and he knew that if he did, and Santana found out, she would remind him about the day that he had left his own front door open too.

So instead he tapped on the door, and said, "Hey guys, it's Jeff. Sorry I wasn't here to help you out…" There was no reply so he opened the door and stepped into the little hallway. As he did so, he had a sudden horror that they might be in the bedroom, 'christening' the apartment - but as he looked around, he noticed that the door in question was wide open, and the bed was empty. The doors to the second bedroom and the bathroom were also open, and showing empty rooms. For a moment Jeff felt a wave of fear wash over himself. He had read about horrific tragedies; cowered behind a cushion on the sofa as some horror film had played back at Dalton. Surely his cousin hadn't succumbed… He dismissed the notion, and stepped into the living room, with a call of "Guys?" The room was also empty, but then he noticed the figure standing in the kitchen. It was the last person he had expected to see…

"Hey Jeff… It's good to see you again. The boys have just popped out to get some pizza."

"Oh, right - I came round to drag them over to my place for dinner so they'd get a proper meal. I… I have to admit that I didn't expect to see you here, Tommy…"

"Well, don't worry. I haven't escaped. I got out. The appeal court agreed with Sue Sylvester and her campaign - that I had done nothing wrong apart from getting mixed up with bad company, and then allowed myself to be blackmailed. So they let me out last week, and I headed straight up to Vermont for a rather emotional reunion with my family, and a meeting with yours. I asked them not to say anything about it to you; I wanted to tell you face to face. My one regret is that I didn't manage to get out in time for Dunc's graduation…"

"But you are out now, and I am glad," said Jeff with a smile. "Honestly, if it hadn't been for you breaking the rules and telling me all that Hunter had planned for the Warblers, for me, for my Nicky, I might not have had the courage I needed to stand up to him in court, and tell everyone the unvarnished truth. Ok, so technically it was illegal, but I am so glad you took the risk and spoke to me. It made it far easier for them to convict Hunter; although to be honest, he did escape justice when he fell off the court roof."

"I am sure that he is facing justice of a very different kind now. Your mother told me everything that happened in the aftermath when I met her last week. I am glad that Gordon is getting the punishment that he deserves too. I should also, of course, congratulate you on your wedding, Mr Sterling-Duval."

"Thanks. It was one of the happiest days of my life, though if you have talked to Elspeth, you will know that he tried to spoil it. I came very close to losing my Nicky that night, but I didn't, thanks to some very good friends. But it all just reminds me…"

"I heard all about what happened to Wes too. He came to see me in prison a couple of times, not that he probably ever told you. He had promised to come and speak up for me when my appeal came up; he and Sue had it all arranged. She came to see me two days after he died; my heart broke in two when she told me, and she cried. Very briefly, but she did cry. Losing him just redoubled her efforts, and here we are."

At that moment the sound of two very happy young voices could be heard from the stairwell, and then came the sound of footsteps on the wooden floor in the hallway. "Sorry we were so long Tommy! We couldn't decide whether to get a Meat Lover's or a Hawaiian, so in the end we got both!" said Duncan as he walked in.

"We thought that it would keep for tomorrow if… Cousin Jeff!" said Luke as he suddenly spotted him, and ran over to pull him into a big hug.

"Hey, welcome to the Big Apple boys! Sorry that I wasn't around earlier, but I see that you had some unexpected help. So I was going to ask you to come over for dinner, but now I think it is better if I stay here and help you eat that pizza, because trust me - second day pizza is a big no-no."

"Won't your husband be expecting you home, cuz?" said Luke. "Not that we don't want you to stay, we just don't want you ending up in Nick's bad books"

"That one is easily solved. He will be on the train on his way home by now, so I will send him a text and ask him to join us," said Jeff, pulling out his phone. "Put the oven on a low heat, and then we can keep the pizza warm for him." The text was duly sent and the oven put on by Duncan. This was only possible after a quick lesson from Tommy, who seemed as concerned as Jeff that his brother could not even do that - then again, there was no gas supply in their home town in Vermont.

Nick wasn't far away as it happened, and about ten minutes later there was a knock on the now closed front door. Luke went to answer it, and after he had hugged him, he allowed the other man in. Like Jeff before him, he was momentarily thrown by the presence of Tommy; the latter stood up, and Nick made his way over and gave him a fraternal hug, before speaking softly. "Thank you for all that you did at the trial; for standing up to be counted when it mattered, and for helping Jeff to confront his biggest demon. It helped me a lot too, and made me fall in love with him all the more. It was also the straw that finally broke down the façade that I had displayed to the world since everything with Hunter came to a head. My show of strength wasn't helping anyone, least of all me. That was all down to you, and I am proud to call you friend. If that had not happened, then maybe our marriage might not be quite the success that it is. We wouldn't be so domesticated…"

"We even have a cat," said Jeff, slipping over to put his arm around Nick's shoulders.

"I want to meet Caleb soon," said Duncan. "I missed him when he came to Vermont with you."

"Ok, so you actually take the cat on holiday with you…" said Tommy, with a grin, and that made them all laugh.

The evening turned out to be a great success. The presence of Tommy was unexpected, but it was not an issue. He was an affable guy, whose only crime had been to get himself caught up in the web that Hunter had spun around himself. He had spent 21 months, more or less, behind bars, and now that he was free, he was determined to get his life back on some kind of track. The career path that he had planned in the army was no longer an option for him. He might have been freed from prison and absolved from any blame for all that had happened in the affair around Hunter, but he has still been given a dishonourable discharge from the army for everything that had happened at the training school; even Sue Sylvester had limits to her power. He had got good academic grades, but even now that all then charges had been dropped, the fact that he had dropped off the radar for two years whilst everything had been taking place would mean big questions from most colleges. He could probably still get into a community college somewhere, and that was about all he could afford in any case. He could not go back to Ohio as his face and name were known there, and he did not want the talk that had driven his parents to move to Vermont in the first place to start up there as a result of his presence. He could not do that to them. Nor was his plan to stay in New York for long either; a few weeks whilst he reconnected with his little brother, and saw him settled into his new home. He had a brotherly bond to rebuild, and he wanted to get to know Luke too, given that one day he would be related by marriage. No, his long term plan was to move south to Virginia, where his mother's father lived. He had agreed readily that his grandson could come and stay with him, and he was hopeful that there, in his small town a few miles south of Washington DC, he could make a new life for himself.

The way that he had said that was what attracted Nick's attention and curiosity. "Your mother's father? You mean grandfather surely?"

"Ah, but no. My grandmother was married to the best friend of my mother's father. You see, he wasn't the marrying kind, as my grandmother used to put it; they had a one night stand when he was very drunk, and that was all it took! His best friend was the kind of gentleman that did not want to leave a girl in her situation to face the wrath of her family for her new status as unmarried mother, so he stepped in. It suited all of them; she got a stable married home for herself and the baby; my mother's father was free to live his life as he wished; and his best friend, who was infertile, got a child to call his own. He was always just Uncle Sean to my mom when she was a girl, and he would have stayed that way had it not been for the death of my grandfather. It was a shock for her to find out the truth. I can't imagine what it must be like to discover that the man you have called dad all those years isn't you father at all. All I know is that it was hard for all of them, but they've all dealt with it now, and it does explain where Duncan got it from…"

"Oh, that kind of not marrying kind!" said Nick with a slight grin. "I thought that maybe he just didn't want to commit."

"Yeah, but now times have changed. The guys that term used to refer to are now the marrying kind, you and Jeff being a case in point - in any case, who is totally straight these days? So, a few weeks here, then off to live with Sean O'Connor. It will be a completely fresh start, and Virginia will be a nice place for people to come and visit."

Nick nodded, but wondered in the recesses of his mind why the surname O'Connor was ringing a bell; a bell that was ringing loudly as if it was trying desperately to attract someone's attention.


	38. Finally Legal Everywhere

**Finally Legal Everywhere**

When the announcement was made that Friday, Nick was at work in the Law Library; Sebastian was at the Strand; Jeff, Santana and Brittany were at work with Elliot and Dani; and Trent, Rory and Burt were standing at the very back of the room in which the speech was actually being made. Working for a Congressman had its advantages, and you did get access of the kind not normally granted to members of the public. When it was stated that gay marriage would now be made legal in every state, the cheering was loud and unprecedented. In the normally silent Law Library, a group of students suddenly began to cheer and hug; Nick did not have it in his heart to tell them to be quiet, as he was having a hard time not joining in himself. A bottle of champagne was produced at the Strand; more than one in fact, and a toast was made to all of those people who lived in the states where it was now legal for the first time. It was still being drunk when Dave burst in, looking so pleased, and pulled Sebastian into a deep hug, leaving François, who had been right behind him, to stand and smile warmly and then accept a glass of champagne when it was offered to him.

In the diner, when the news came through, Santana burst into tears; Brittany followed and all Jeff could do was pull them into a tight hug. "We can get married in Ohio," whispered Santana in Brittany's ear. "We can go home, and get married - maybe not in Lima, but somewhere in the state."

Jeff couldn't help but overhear, and with a smile said quietly "Warblers have always been able to get married at Dalton; I am pretty sure that it could apply to honorary ones as well…" Santana had to admit that a classy school like Dalton might be a very good venue - after all, it had rocked for a proposal… She paused to wonder for a moment what her angelic friends would make of this; she could totally see Kurt, Blaine or Wes getting married at Dalton, but the decision had come too late for them. So maybe she and Brittany could go there, in honour of them.

In Washington, Trent stood in stunned silence for a moment, barely able to believe that it had actually just happened, and he had been there to witness it. A tiny part of him wanted to immediately cancel the wedding at the country club and move everything to Dalton, but he guessed that it was far too late, and impractical really. Someone else would have to be the first Warbler to marry their boyfriend at Dalton.

That night was already planned to be a big one for Luke and Duncan. Nick and Jeff were introducing them to their favourite club. They were both 18 now, and even though that meant they were technically underage, a blind eye would be turned as long as they had good fake ID and stuck to drinking soda. It had always been turned to the rest of them. The fact that he would turn 21 this year and finally be legal made Nick feel slightly old, but at least Jeff was not far behind him in the age stakes. The whole night had been Jeff's idea. He knew that the boys would want to go out and explore, and to his way of thinking, it was better that he showed them a safe environment, with good staff and a reliable doorman that would ensure they got a safe cab to take them home, than let them stumble on some of the less savoury spots. It would save him a lot of worry later on, as he did feel so responsible for them. Luke and Duncan had both agreed it would be fun to go, having only heard about clubs from those that were already lucky enough to live in the city. They had seen them on television naturally, but to actually be there, dancing together, without the risk of a snide comment or worse, well it would be a first. Vermont had been safe for them to grow up, but when they had danced together at Senior Prom, they had both heard whispers behind their backs, not that they cared.

Tommy had elected to join them; as he put it to Jeff, someone needed to keep half an eye on his brother and Luke at all times, and it wouldn't be a great night for him and Nick if they had to spend the whole time babysitting. It also meant that the two younger boys would get to see the couple they aspired to be like making some shapes of their own on the dance floor. It did make a lot of sense. In the end, the group was expanded even further when Sebastian called Nick mid afternoon to say that he, Dave and François would be heading there too, but that they should go as early as possible. He expected that there might well be crowds on what was, after all, quite a significant day in US history. It was the Stonewall for their generation; another milestone in getting acceptance for who they were, and their rights to enjoy the same things that everyone else took for granted. Nick had to agree he was making a very good point. So it was that after taking them out to their favourite Chinese restaurant in Manhattan, the party of five from Bushwick made their way to the club, and indeed found a queue. However, the doorman was waiting for them to arrive; Sebastian had contacted Elliot, and he had phoned his friend that worked the bar at the club, and he had put their names on the VIP guest list; as regulars, the doorman had recognised them. "That boys is the value of making friends in the big city," said Jeff in low tones as they walked past the queue and straight into the venue.

Nick smiled to himself as he watched the way that Luke and Duncan both froze, wide eyed, as they entered the main room of the club. He guessed that his face had probably looked like that on the night back during his Junior year at Dalton when Sebastian had persuaded himself, Jeff and Trent to go to Scandals with him. He had only gone because Jeff had looked keen, and Trent had looked scared. Looking back now, he realised that it had been Sebastian's attempt to get him and Jeff together - but it had backfired. It had been far from a fun night for the three of them, and it had been a long time before he and Jeff had entered another gay bar. That had been in Chicago, with Mike for company. The contrast could not have been greater, and it had restored his faith in clubs. Here in Manhattan, they had found a good one - it had not been the first one that Kurt and Blaine had ventured into together in their short time in the city, but it had been the one that they had felt the most at home in; and Nick felt the same. No pressure, no hassle, and restrooms that were only used for their intended purpose. He realised though that for two boys fresh from the country, this had to be a dream come true…

He watched as Tommy and Jeff steered the two of them towards a table and he followed in their wake, acknowledging the familiar faces as he did so. He checked his phone, and saw that he had a text from Sebastian, saying that he was almost there, and to get him Dave and François a drink. Nick shook his head and wondered how the evening would go. Sebastian knew that Tommy was in town, but had not yet come face to face with him. When the moment came, the two of them shared an initial handshake, and then Tommy found himself being pulled into a loose bro hug. There were offers of drinks, and an introduction formally to Dave and François. There was no animosity or doubt; tonight was all about celebration and fun. As time went on, they all took their turn on the dance floor. Nick and Jeff showed Luke and Duncan how to get the most out of the tiny patch of floor space that you had; showed them how to dance in a sensuous way without too much overt sexual undertone; how to deal with anyone that did not get the message and leave them alone; and most importantly of all, how to keep dancing and get your shirt off without losing step. It was Jeff that showed them this, as Nick was always a little more reluctant, and usually had to be just a little buzzed. Then again, once both Luke and Duncan had joined Jeff, he did feel a lot like the odd man out…

As Nick's shirt joined the others in coming off, Tommy started to look a little worried; at his side, Sebastian reassured him. "Trust me, it's better this way. You dance, it's warm, you sweat. Leave your shirt on, and trust me, it isn't great to smell on the way home. This way you stay fresher. You'll be thanking them later when you are squashed together in a cab on the way home."

"Yeah, I guess that does kinda make sense… It's just he's my little bro and I worry about him. There are still too many ignorant…too many Hunter's out there. I want him to be safe."

"He is here with Niff - trust me when I say that the two of them will protect him. So, when they come back, what say we show your little brother how to move? I mean, I take it that you can dance?"

"Been a heck of a long time, but yeah, I did know some moves in my time…"

"Well, that's settled. When they come back, the four of us will head down and show them how it's done - unless you don't like the idea?"

"It will be my first time dancing in a gay club, but it could be a lot worse."

"Oh, it could. Ask François later about the clubs that he and I used to go to when I was younger than your brother…" Sebastian stood up, and signalled to Nick that he wanted to dance. The latter nodded, and herded his reluctant husband and his two young guests off the dance floor.

"That was so much fun," said a breathless Duncan as he slumped down in the seat by his brother. "I want to dance again soon."

"Well, it's my turn first," came his reply, and Tommy headed to the dance floor with Dave and François, Sebastian heading over to talk to the DJ first.

As he walked back over, Sebastian spoke to the three of them. "The thing that I love the most about this place is that they play a mixture of music, both old and new." At that moment the music did indeed change from modern dance to a rock and roll classic. "Did I mention that I am an Elvis fan?" Sebastian said as _Jailhouse Rock_ began to play across the club.

At the table, Nick was suddenly glowering at Sebastian with an angry expression as beside him Jeff's mouth just dropped open in shock. As for Tommy, he stared at Sebastian for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Not a bad choice. Truth be told, I'm a bit of an Elvis fan myself." he remarked, before starting to show Sebastian that he did indeed know some killer moves.

"Thankfully, that went well," Nick whispered to Jeff as his face softened, though he still fully intended to tick Sebastian off later. The music continued to play, and the dancing carried on into the early hours. It was a very tired group of five that climbed into a taxi to Bushwick - indeed, Luke fell asleep in the cab, and when they dropped them off, Nick and Jeff could only smile as Tommy had to carry him in, followed by his half asleep brother. It had been a good night, all in all, and no-one had any cause for complaint as they crawled into bed, and fell quickly asleep.

And then June was over, and it was July. Once again the nights were getting longer as half the year was over, but the continued warmth did all of their souls good. It seemed like a long time since the cold of winter, when ice had been seen floating down the East River. Now it was the season to sun themselves, to soak up the Vitamin D from its warming rays and set themselves up for the coming winter. It was possible to do that in New York, whether you chose to relax on the grass in Central Park, took a trip to the beaches of Long Island, where the Atlantic stretched out endlessly before you, or even just by climbing up and onto the roof, which was more than possible at the loft. At the diner, the soups and stews of winter had been replaced by sandwiches, cold pies, quiches and salads. The business was thriving, and Jeff had found himself a new niche as the very persuasive purveyor of ice cream and cold drinks from a stand Michelle had suggested they set up on the sidewalk. He was joined in his task some days by Luke and Duncan; not officially on the staff, but first in line when a vacancy did come along. The two boys did spend a lot of time exploring the city, learning new things and visiting new places. At least once a week they could be found on the beach however; both had spent their youth miles from the ocean, and so it held a fascination for them. At first, they had always been accompanied by one of the others, but now they were left to journey alone, even by the protective Tommy. They had to get used to the city after all.

July also brought a guest to the city in the form of Tina, who was staying for the entire month. As she had told her parents, it was a good test for how it would be when she and Mike were married, although the presence of Nick and Jeff did make it less like that. It took Caleb a few days to adjust to the new permanent presence in his loft - because as everyone knows, cats own people, not the other way round - but once he had realised that she was a reliable source of treats, let him sleep in the sun in peace and was also an expert when a stroke was required, he soon took to her; so much so in fact that Nick saw that Jeff was starting to get jealous. She and Mike spent as much time together as was possible, enjoying being together for the summer. She had even started to go with him to his performances, and would help out with the costumes; she loved just being able to sit in the wings and watch as her talented boyfriend danced across the stage. She also loved hearing him get the applause that he deserved, but what was all the better was the fact that at the end of the day, she got to go home with him. They had danced one night in the moonlight as they cut through Central Park en route to the subway, and even on the subway platform itself when they had just missed a train. They were together, and both of them knew that it was right; they were meant to be together, and no-one was going to come between them.

* * *

If the picture in New York was generally one of relaxation and enjoyment, then it was totally the opposite in Washington DC. As the first of the month came, Trent and Rory were fast discovering that getting married involved a heck of a lot of planning, and it was even worse when you were trying to organise someone else's big day at the same time! Séamus and Becca were both still in Scotland, and would not get back to the States until a week before the actual wedding. This did relieve Rory of the task of organising a bachelor party for his brother, as he was having one in St Andrews instead. It did however mean that he and Trent had to be the ones to check out all the little details for them at the venue and with the suppliers. In the end they decided to divide up the tasks, and Trent found himself planning for their wedding on his own most of the time. His mother and Carole had both offered to help, but he was reluctant to let them start. The two woman had met a few times already, and they both had their own ideas of how things should go. Their ideas did not necessarily match, nor did they match the concepts that Trent and Rory wanted. He also could not allocate a task to one without risking upsetting the other. He had jokingly suggested to Rory that the best thing to do would be to get them to take over the organisation of Séamus' wedding along with Becca's mom. Rory had to admit that it was not a bad idea in principle, but their was the risk that his brother would kill him for letting the three women get their own way on everything! Trent agreed, and as he really loved Rory, he decide not to pursue the scheme. In the end, the important thing for them on their big day was that they had their friends, each other and a celebrant. After that, all the rest was mere window-dressing.

In the end, Trent did compromise on one thing with his mom and Carole; he would let them help with the final decisions on the food. After considering many options, they had decided against having a formal sit down meal like the one Séamus and Becca were having. As so many of the guests would be attending both of the ceremonies, they opted instead for a buffet. That way they could have a wide selection of foods that would provide something for everyone; they could set up an entire table of vegetarian and vegan options, whilst providing all the usual meat dishes. At Trent's insistence, all the meat used had to be kosher, as this would accommodate those members of Becca's family that would be attending at the request of Séamus, plus cater for the likes of Flint and Puck. The buffet idea also made Rory very happy, as his childhood memories of weddings back in Clane were full of ceremonies with groaning side tables of food. Things might be a little more refined, but in essence, that was the idea that they were aiming for.

The country club was only too happy to comply with their wishes, and had arranged an afternoon tasting session for the two grooms-to-be. It was to this event that Trent had invited Carole, and his mom, Helena. The two ladies arrived at the club together, having met up in Washington; neither had taken lunch as a precaution for the event ahead. They arrived at the club, and after both agreeing that it was the best venue they could have chosen, they headed inside, where the staff greeted them both with the same warmth as they had the two boys. The four of them were ushered into a private dining room where the cold selections of food had already been set up. They stopped at the door, and all four of them just stared. There was a very long table on one side of the room, and on it was a prodigious selection of food. From slices of cold cooked meats, delicate sandwiches, chicken drumsticks with several marinades, to tiny tarts and pies, the selection was vast.

"I take it that we are selecting from these, not having all of them?" said Carole.

"That's the idea," said Trent, but as he noticed how Rory's face had taken on a faraway look, and realising that he must once again be thinking back to his youth, he quickly added "However, there is nothing to say how many of these items we chose. Plus, the hot ones are still to come."

As Trent guided Rory over to the table, Helena turned to Carole and quietly said "There's to be more? I think that maybe this has gone a little overboard!"

"True, but let us not forget that there are a lot of young people coming; boys still in or not long out of their teens. They can eat…"

Helena smiled, and nodded in agreement. "Then again, so can middle-aged mothers when they have to. I mean, if we don't eat much later…"

"…we will be fine," said Carole, finishing the sentence with a smile. The two ladies made their way over to the table, where Rory at once pointed out some chicken that was 'to die for.' In the end, it took them nearly two hours to work their way through all of the samples. This included the dessert buffet that followed, consisting of such treats as macrons, jelly in tiny glasses, mini cookies, and of course, mini cupcakes. Seeing those latter spread out in all their varieties made Carole instantly think of Kurt, and Mr Schuester's aborted wedding. He had confided in her about the event afterwards and told her everything. He told her about hooking up with Blaine; about what Tina had done with vapour rub; about Sue turning up in the same dress as Emma had chosen - but then he added that they had at least had mini cupcakes, so the day wasn't all bad. She approved all ten varieties personally without hesitation.

Afterwards, as they sat with coffee on one of the terraces, they tried to eliminate some items, but reached impasse after impasse. There was nothing that they had all hated, nor was there a single item with only one supporter. When it came to a 50/50 split, it tended to be Rory and Trent against Carole and Helena, so the other pair would willingly concede that it might be age that had influenced their choice, and it would be unfair to cancel it on those grounds. Then Trent decided enough was enough; he made Rory tell the two mothers about the wedding feasts he remembered from his Irish childhood, and as his eyes grew misty, the two women looked at each other and realised that there was no choice. "We will just have to take it all; every dish, just in slightly smaller quantities to ensure that there is the minimum of waste," said Helena.

Carole willingly agreed, and added "If it reminds Rory of his childhood, then it will please his grandmother and her companions too. I just have one question - will there be salads?"

"Oh yes, of course there will be a selection of salads. Plus couscous and quinoa," said Rory.

"Plus dips, and chips," said Trent innocently, ignoring the slight look of horror that had appeared on his mother's face…


	39. Another Blast from the Past

_An extra chapter this week, because I am off on holiday; next chapter should be up on Sunday though as usual, posted from my hotel in New York... Thanks to those of you that continue to read..._

 **Another Blast from the Past**

With the issue of the food now sorted, and the decision taken that the floral arrangements that would be in place from Séamus' wedding would be more than adequate for their own, Trent and Rory only had one major issue left, and that was their suits. They had been for several fittings since the designs had been sent to the tailor; they had loved the fabric that he was using from day one, and seeing it marked as pure Irish linen had made Rory quite tearful. The lining that had been selected by both of them was the best quality silk, in dark blue, with a red piping detail were it joined to the main body of the jacket - it was in effect a reverse version of a Dalton blazer, something that Rory had long ago accepted as being inevitable. It was why he had also suggested that they wear the bowties from Nick and Jeff's wedding for their own. Trent had just pulled him into a deep hug when he had suggested that one - it was something that he had thought about, but he had not wanted to risk asking. As usual though, Rory had got it. He knew that Dalton Academy had been a big influence on Trent; it had been a happy home for him for most of the time, and all of his closest friends were his classmates from school. He had no friends from before that. Rory had never asked why, but the hints that he had received from his future mother-in-law indicated that Trent's life before Dalton had been a miserable one. There were things in his past, as there were in Rory's, that he did not look back on with happiness. Things that had been blanked out. The past was gone - and sometimes, it was best that it stayed like that…

Sometimes though, the past could come and catch you by surprise. One July morning, it did just that at the Spotlight Diner. The breakfast rush was more or less over, and after the usual hectic dishing out of coffee and snacks, it was time for the staff to relax a little. Santana was in charge that morning, and had just headed into the office when the customer came in, and smiled to himself as he saw the décor. He took a seat at an empty table, and after giving him a minute to peruse the menu, Jeff headed over to take his order. After he had requested scrambled eggs and bacon, with a side order of pancakes and a large glass of orange juice, he stopped Jeff as he was about to head off to the kitchen with a question. "So the receptionist at my hotel said that this was the place to come to if you wanted 'breakfast with the Glee club.' What does she mean by that?"

Jeff chuckled and replied, "Let's just say that we wait staff have the tendency to burst into song every now and then. Give it another five minutes, and someone will be up on the stage!" He hurried off, leaving the man both bemused and intrigued at the concept. He had not even noticed that there was a stage as he had walked in - and now that he could see it, his eyes suddenly lighted on a framed drawing hanging at its side. He got up to take a closer look, and realised that his suspicions had been correct - he would recognise that face anywhere, though it had been a long time since he had seen her… He headed back to his seat to discover a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice waiting for him - and his blond waiter was now heading up onto the stage and bursting out in song, to the delight of everyone in the place. He had to admit that the guy was good, and hearing him did remind him of a happy year in his past…

"Eggs and Bacon, side of pancakes" came a voice at his side, and he turned to look at the waitress that was placing the food on his table. He stared, and she stared back.

"Santana Lopez!?"

"Oh, my. If it isn't Matt Rutherford…"

After telling him not to move, Santana headed back to the office to make a quick phone call. She caught the person she wanted; by luck they were close by, and agreed to pop in right away. Not that she had told Mike why he should come in; this was something that she repeated with Artie. Then she headed back out to join Matt at his table. She introduced him properly to Jeff, and then as the latter covered for her, she caught up with someone that she had last seen, for more than a couple of hours at least, back in her sophomore year at McKinley. He was in town for a short holiday, a reward for being the best performing player on his college football team in Texas. His folks still lived in the state; the job that his father had uprooted them all for at a moment's notice had been even more rewarding than they could have hoped. He himself had won his football scholarship by hard work, and after much competition. Santana told him all about her life; she revealed that she was a part owner of the diner, something that made him start, but she didn't tell him the full story. She told him about her studies at NYADA, and then casually mentioned that she was engaged to Brittany. If he was shocked by her outing herself, he didn't show it, just congratulated her. She then went on to tell him that Dave Karofsky was also playing college football in the city, and that he should look him up. As Matt nodded, he did not notice the door to the diner opening behind him…

"Ok, Santana, what's the emergency?"

On hearing the familiar voice, Matt spun round, and said dryly "I am guessing that it might be me, Mike…"

The latter froze for a second, and then launched himself at his old friend, pulling him into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you! The last time that we saw each other was…"

"Finn's funeral," said Matt quietly, and Mike just nodded, before taking a seat next to his friend.

"I'll go and get you two some coffee whilst you catch up - on the house, of course," said Santana, walking away with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, it was Finn's funeral," said Mike, "and so much has happened since then. I mean we tried to get in touch with you a few times after that - me, Puck and Artie, but your number…"

"I lost my phone on my way back home from Lima, and I was never into Facebook and all that kind of thing. Losing my phone meant losing all of your numbers, and I didn't have addresses for you all anymore than you had mine. I should have tried harder to stay in touch though, even if I had to send letters via McKinley… I mean, last that I heard, you were in Chicago and Puck was in Ohio. I knew that Artie was coming here for school and that Kurt was living here… Does he still live around here?"

Mike's face fell as he heard those last words. He wondered at first how it was possible that Matt did not know, but then he realised that if you did not do Facebook, and lived away from Ohio and New York, having lost touch with all of your mutual friends…

"Mike? What is it? Did I say the wrong thing?"

"Yeah, kind of, but you didn't know… So I guess that it has fallen to me to break this to you. Kurt used to work here, there was even talk of his fiancé Blaine working here after he moved to the city… But then, Kurt was murdered…"

Mike watched as Matt's face crumpled, as his eyes became moist. "Murdered - not because…"

"Not specifically; it is a long story, but he became a target because of something that Blaine had done; he became a target because Blaine had exposed the whole scandal with the steroid taking amongst the Dalton Academy Warblers."

"I remember you guys talking about that at Finn's funeral, but I don't see how it could have got so bad that…"

"The guy that got the Warblers on steroids, Hunter - he wanted revenge. He killed Kurt, and tried to kill Blaine the same night. Blaine lasted about two weeks before he killed himself, the day after he found out that Hunter had been behind Kurt's death, and that as such, he was partially responsible. And it gets worse - Finn's accident wasn't one at all; Hunter had tampered with his car…"

Matt's face was even worse now, if that was possible. "Jeez Mike, that is all so screwed up! You guys must all have been in bits!"

"It was bad, yeah. Then we had the whole thing with Hunter's trial, and although it was mainly the Warblers that got caught up in that, we'd all become quite friendly. It turned out that they had suffered a lot during Hunter's time at Dalton - he actually tortured some of them; left a few of them physically scarred…" Mike motioned then to Jeff with a nod of his head. "He had it worst of all. Hunter branded him, and yeah, I do mean branded. Then at the trial we found out that he was being blackmailed the whole time, because he was Hunter's brother. His father had put him up for adoption at the age of six, because he was too artistic, not soldierly enough. The whole experience nearly destroyed him…"

Matt looked at the blond boy, and said "But he seems so happy now - I guess that he recovered."

"Yeah, he managed to put it all behind him; married his best friend from Dalton, Nick, last year. They are actually my roommates; they had a spare room when I decided to transfer to Julliard, which I did, if I am honest, because I needed to be closer to my friends. Most importantly, I needed to be closer to Tina."

"Tina? Are the two of you dating again?"

"Yeah. After Kurt and Blaine we just naturally turned to each other for support, and I suddenly realised that she was everything I wanted and needed. She's the one for me, and one of these days, I will ask her to marry me…"

At that moment they heard someone clearing their throat discretely, and Matt turned round again to see Artie had appeared. He leant over and gave his other old friend a hug, and at the same time noticed a grinning Santana. "Well," said Artie, "to paraphrase, 'Of all the diners in all of the streets in all of Manhattan, you had to walk into ours.' It has to be fate, Matt."

"I am so glad that I did! It has been far too long, and it's only now that I am here that I realise just how much I miss you guys. Just one thing - when you said 'ours' there, did you mean the one that you all hang out in, or…"

"We three all own a share; I share mine with Tina, Santana with Brittany. Rachel has one with Sam, Puck with Quinn; Jeff has a share with Nick, and some of the other Warblers have shares too. It was an opportunity, so we took it. This place is a little goldmine, to be honest."

"And before you ask how we managed to afford it, it turned out that Blaine, Kurt's fiancé, was far wealthier in his own right than any of us could have imagined, and when he died, he left all of us, his friends, a share," said Artie. "We think that he would like what we have done here."

"Anyway, enough of the past," said Mike. "How long are you in town for? Please say it is for a few more days, as we need to have a good catch up…"

As it happened, Matt was in town for three more days. He had planned to take in all of the sights - this was his first time in New York after all; and he still did, only now he had company. Either Artie or Mike joined him, and they would escort him not just to all the big attractions that he expected to see, but also to those smaller ones that made a visit to the city so special. Mike was usually accompanied by Tina; Artie introduced him to Kitty, and he had to agree with him that she was feisty, not afraid to say what she felt, and attractive. It was also obvious to him that she and Artie were very much in love. He caught up with Brittany and Rachel too, though he declined the latter's offer of a ticket to see _Funny Girl_ \- he already had a ticket to see _Book of Mormon_ on the night that she could get him one. Santana had told him that he had had a lucky escape, and he laughed at how little she had changed. Through Rachel he was introduced to Sam, whose repertoire of impressions had him in stitches. He had also called Puck, and although he could not get leave at short notice, the two did agree to meet up soon and catch up on what was going on in each others lives.

On his last night in town, he was invited to dinner at the big loft by Santana, and that night he met the Warblers properly. He had expected them, as prep school boys, to be a bit stand offish if he was honest, but he found them to be the opposite. He was greeted warmly by Jeff, who made introductions to Nick (Matt still was in awe of two such young men being married), and also to Trent and Rory, who were in town for a final suit fitting. They were waiting for one last pair of guests, and when they arrived he was introduced to Sebastian by a very familiar face. He and Dave spent quite a while catching up, and Matt was so pleased to see how happy he was, and how he and Sebastian kept flirting throughout the evening. They also wondered if one day their respective teams would meet up in a game. Eventually, as in all New Directions get togethers, someone began to sing, and Matt joined in at the behest of all of those around him. It made him smile, and took him back to those days at McKinley when he had joined the New Directions, mainly because Mike had. As the evening drew to its close, he asked for silence, and then he proposed a toast; to the New Directions, the Warblers and all of their absent friends. That was one toast on which all of them could agree wholeheartedly.


	40. Arrivals from Ireland

**Arrivals from Ireland**

The middle of July found Rory anxiously waiting at Dulles airport for the arrival of the Aer Lingus flight from Dublin, on which his brother and his fiancée were travelling. For both of them it was a one way trip on this occasion. Séamus had packed all of his belongings up and packed them into a container a week earlier, so they would arrive sometime. They had hopes it might be before the wedding, but it did not really matter. This was the moment that both of the Flanagan brothers had been waiting for, for some time. They would be living within a few miles of each other for the first time in four years, and that would be a good thing. They had always been close growing up, Séamus always looking out for his little brother. He had been the one to use the fire extinguisher on Father Rooney when Rory had accidentally sent his vestments on fire one Sunday for a start, thus saving the cleric from even worse burns, and he had also acted as a buffer to the worst of his mother's behaviour. Once he knew that he would be leaving the country to go to university, for his own sanity as much as anything else, he had been the one to encourage Rory to apply for the student exchange programme. Not that he ever reminded him of that, and therefore his role in bringing the ship that was Trory together…

Rory resisted the temptation to sprint across the arrivals area and pull his brother into a hug the moment that he saw him emerge - but the moment that Séamus spotted him, he left Becca and ran over to grab his brother, pulling him into a tight bear hug that made Rory burst into giggles. Rory looked over his brother's shoulder at Becca, who was also laughing, as she tried to concentrate on the text message that she was sending to her father to say that they had arrived , and that they would be out in the pick up area shortly. In the interests of observing traditional decorum and propriety, Séamus would be staying with Trent and Rory until his big day, whilst Becca went home to her parents; they would not meet up again in person until the party on the night before the actual wedding. Once they had reclaimed the bags, the three of them made their way to the pick up zone, where Mr Bernstein was waiting. He and Rory exchanged greetings as they did their best to ignore the emotional farewell between the young couple. Then they parted, and Becca was off to Baltimore with her father, whilst Rory was walking with his brother to the bus terminal.

"It's going to be strange not seeing her every day," said Séamus. "After all, I have for just over three years now…"

"Well big brother, look at it this way; soon you will be waking up to see her first thing every morning, for the rest of your life; just think on that…"

The week that they would spend together as the two still officially single Flanagan boys was not really a week; it was only five days, and of course, Trent was around. He had volunteered to work for Burt himself though, to allow his husband-to-be to spend some valuable alone time with his big brother. That original plan was changed by Séamus, who after having a word with Rory, announced that on the Monday morning it would be Rory that headed to work whilst he spent a day bonding with his future brother-in-law; he had after all only spent that one day in Scotland last summer and a couple of days over Christmas in his company up until that point. Trent was slightly nervous about it - he knew that he would probably get a lecture about what Séamus would do to him if he ever hurt his brother, and that only a little of what he said would be in jest. He was in no doubt whatsoever that he would end up dead if he ever did hurt him intentionally - not that he ever would… It turned out that Séamus was fully aware of that too, and so was very light on the lecture, going so far as to tell Trent that if Rory every hurt him, then he would sort his little brother out for him. The two of them spent the day exploring some of the museums on the National Mall; Rory and Séamus had spent more time catching up in bars than anywhere else it seemed.

As Trent showed him all of the things that he loved the most, the two of them relaxed into easy conversation. They stopped for lunch at a small café that Trent was in the habit of taking his own meal in when he was working for Burt, and it was there that Séamus suddenly got very serious for a moment. "So, Trent, I have done the big bad older brother bit now. It didn't come easy, let me tell you. When I persuaded Rory to come to the States on the student exchange programme, I imagined him in New York, or L.A., or even here; I never in a million years imagined that he would end up in a small town in Ohio, with a tank factory! I was so disappointed for him when he told me, as I had always known that he wasn't like me; that no matter how many girlfriends my blushing little brother pretended to have, he wasn't ever going to find his happiness there. So I had desperately wanted him to end up somewhere where he could see other people like him, being themselves without fear. The day he told me about Kurt and Blaine, my hopes were reignited. We had grown up in an environment where you conformed to the norms, or else; where the words of the Bible were used to back up each and every action. So for him to find himself somewhere with two openly gay boys, a couple - that was so good. Then he told me about Brittany and Santana, about Burt's campaign, and my heart just swelled with happiness. All the letters he wrote to me after that were so upbeat, bar one. The one where he told me about how the Warblers had come to McKinley; how the New Directions had sung _Black or White_ to you guys, and you had all joined in. That you were all good guys, but that you had left too soon, before he had a chance to talk to 'him' in depth. When I questioned him on that one, he said that he had meant to write them. Which I knew was a load of baloney. He meant a boy; he meant you."

Trent blushed as Séamus went on. "He mentioned the Warblers to me a few times after that, mainly to complain that you never met up! Then his year was over; he came home, and he came out - to me at first. I told him that I had guessed; that he was always going to be my brother, and that I would always love him. Then I asked him again about his 'mistake' and he blushed, and told me all about the mysterious Warbler; the one that had smiled at him from a distance and had been heading in his direction when his classmates dragged him back to Dalton. The boy that he would probably never see again; whose name he didn't even know, as he hadn't wanted to ask Blaine or Kurt and arose their suspicions. I nodded, and he cried… He got used to tears that year, particularly when he decided to come out to our parents, and got packed off to be a slave to a politician in Dublin - though of course, in the end, it was that experience that allowed him to stay here in the first place… I remember the morning that he came back here. He'd sent me a text that said 'Kurt dead - now Blaine's dead too. Flying to US. Going to stay.' My first thought was that there was no way that he would be able to, but of course, thanks to Burt offering him a job, he was able to do so. But it was his second text that week that I recall the most. I ended up saving it in my phone, as a reminder of the moment when life finally started to go my little brother's way…"

Séamus pulled out his phone, pulled up a message and turned it to show the screen to Trent. The message read 'TRENT! His name is Trent :-)) :-))' "And with that, I knew that my little Rory was in love."

Trent quietly replied "I knew the moment that I saw him at the rehearsal for Blaine's funeral too. I did see him that day at McKinley, and it was the same for me. I never really forgave David and Thad for dragging me out of there that day…"

"In the end, though, the fates brought you back to each other. In the midst of all the heartache and pain, there was the bright spark of love. That text was just the first you know. I got one about how you actually lived in Washington DC; how you shared the same taste in music and film. I could tell you the exact day that you went out on your first official date; he actually called me on Skype shortly after you had your first kiss. Then he sent me an E-mail after you spent the night together in Nick and Jeff's loft…" Trent went scarlet, and Séamus just laughed. "It is a big thing to lose that, and I am so glad that his first time was with you."

"It was my first time too," said Trent in a whisper. "I had always intended to wait until I was sure and certain, and that night, I was. Kurt and Blaine had given our relationship their blessing, and everything just felt so right…"

"It did concern me slightly that I hadn't even talked to you properly at that point. That did not happen until the day after Christmas…"

"After my mom kicked me out of the house because I looked so miserable I was making everyone else feel depressed," said Trent with a laugh. "It was true - I felt so miserable without him…"

"If it is any comfort, the feeling was mutual. I spoke to him on Skype early on Christmas Day, and he was unhappy too; his smile was just painted on… The two of you are obviously soulmates…" Séamus stopped, and checked his watch. "Time is getting on. All that I really wanted to do today was welcome you into the family. You impressed my Nana, which is good, as without her approval there might not even have been a wedding. You stood up to my mother, which gets you a big vote of confidence from me every time. I am just so pleased that Rory is able to get married. He tells me that your reception is based on all of the ones that we saw as boys - which means that I will be putting an inch on my waistline. He used to tell me, when he was not even in his teens, that he was never going to get married. That much he was adamant about; I think he always knew, deep down, that he was gay; he just couldn't dare admit it, not even to himself. The thing is, the world is changing. It's legal here, in every state. They have had a referendum on it in good old Catholic Ireland, and it will be made legal there later this year. My Nana put up Yes posters in her window, much to my mother's annoyance. People are finally realising that love in all of its forms should be respected, and that it should be able to be shown without fear. I am so glad to be alive in this generation, at this time. On Saturday I will be at my little brother's side as he marries his true love, just as he will be at mine the day before. If people cannot accept that, then it is their loss. To me, you will be my friend, my brother. Not so long ago…"

"It would have been unthinkable. I know what happened to your great-uncle. Rory told me how he was sent away from home, exiled from the country he loved, just because he was like the two of us. It was wrong, but that was the way the world thought then."

"Yes, but it makes me sick that he was forced out of the country. My Nana thinks he came here, to the USA, even though then it wasn't that much better here at that time. I would like to try and find him some day, but the chances are that he is either dead and gone, or just vanished without a trace…"

They went on to walk round a few more museums, before heading home. Séamus insisted that he be allowed to cook, and prepared a cottage pie, using a recipe that he had been given by his Nana. "This was always one of Rory's favourites - every time that we went to visit her, and stayed for our supper, she made this. I will give the recipe to you, Trent, along with the list of secret ingredients, so that you can make it for him if you need to make up for something…" He laughed at Trent's shocked face, and carried on preparing the dish, adding a couple of things that made Trent quite surprised. Then again, you did add chocolate to chilli, so it was no big deal. For his own part, Trent made up some soda bread to bake alongside the pie, making sure that he also had plenty of softened butter available for his fiancé to spread thickly on it.

When Rory walked in, the first thing he saw was the freshly baked bread, and then on sniffing the air, his face lit up. "You remembered Séamus! It smells just like hers."

"I'm sure that it is nowhere near as good as hers, but I did use the same recipe," his brother replied, as Rory came to stand between him and Trent and placed an arm around both of them. Whether it was as good or not was academic; it still got demolished, as did the bread. Then, as if they weren't all about to get married at the end of the week, they sat and relaxed in front of the television for the remainder of the day.

Then on Wednesday, things started to feel much more real. The three of them found themselves back in the arrivals hall at Dulles, waiting once again for the same Aer Lingus flight to arrive. They watched as the doors opened, and suddenly they were there. To the surprise of all of them, Rory's Nana was in a wheelchair, with Mrs Flynn on one handle, and Sister Mary-Agnes on the other. Rory and Séamus ran over at once, full of concern for the old lady; Trent looked at her face, and then that of the good nun, and realised that she was up to no good. Sure enough, she quickly brushed away the concerns of her grandsons, and instructed them to go and collect the bags; Mrs Flynn went with them to help identify them.

"So, young Trent, do I get a kiss on the cheek now that we are going to be family?" said Agnes, with a smile.

Trent bent down, kissed her, then whispered in her ear "The things that people will do to get an upgrade…"

She looked at him, then chuckled. "I knew that my Rory had picked himself a smart man for his husband - though to be honest, my ankle was a bit sore…"

"Just technically not sore enough to merit a wheelchair and an upgrade for three to business class," said Sister Mary-Agnes in a scolding tone. "You are an old rogue, and if my Mother Superior finds out about your shenanigans, she will not be pleased. I have to admit though, the food and the attention from the staff was nice; and she also thinks that I am here for only one wedding, where the bride is converting to Catholicism…"

"White lies, Sister?" said Trent with a grin.

"Quite right, young man. Now shall we go and see about those bags and then get to our hotel? I think that it would be nice to - I believe the term is freshen up?"

It was more practical on this occasion for them to travel in a shuttle back to the city, and the vehicle that had been booked by them was more than comfortable. The hotel that had been booked for the three ladies was central; they had looked into booking somewhere close to the wedding venue, but it would be impractical for the purposes of sightseeing, plus there was the fact that Trent's family had booked to stay in town. They had decided against booking them all into the same hotel, just in case the two groups did not get on; plus they would not arrive until the middle of the following day, when Rory and Séamus would be out with the ladies sightseeing. This plan had been thrown into doubt for the two of them until the moment that their beloved Nana got out of her wheelchair and climbed into the shuttle with no discomfort or difficulty. The looks of surprise on their faces had made Trent laugh, and that was the moment that it finally dawned on her grandsons.

"You pulled a scam on the airline with a nun in your party?" said Séamus to her. "I am beyond mortified! Sister, I do apologise for her behaviour."

"No need, young man. The good Lord obviously wanted us to have it, or he would have seen that we were found out."

"It was nice," said Mrs Flynn with a smile. "Admittedly, the food was not homely enough for my liking. As for the seats, with them being so comfortable and the fact that I could sit and watch films, it was like being back at the cinema in Clane as a girl… Do you think we could pull the scam again on the way home?" Trent laughed, Séamus looked affronted, and Rory just smiled. There would be no need, as he had already paid for their upgrade on the flight back to Dublin from New York.

The ladies were quickly settled into the hotel, and took the opportunity to rest for a while. Then it was time for them all to head out for a very special dinner, being hosted for them all by Burt and Carole in one of the congressional dining rooms. It had been Burt's idea, and he had not told them about his plans until the previous day. So it was that the six of them presented themselves at the security gate at the Capitol. The guard recognised Trent and Rory at once, and handed over the passes for Séamus and the three ladies with minimum fuss. They then made their way inside, to be greeted warmly by Burt and Carole in the lobby. They took a roundabout route to the dining room, giving them a quick tour of the building on the way. There was however another, much larger function in progress, and they had to pause on their way as guards blocked their path to allow two VIP guest to pass through. He nodded in the direction of Burt and Carole as he passed, and they smiled back, before turning to deal with the six shocked people standing beside them.

"Was that really…" said Séamus.

"Yes, it was. Not often that he and Michelle come here, so we just got lucky…" said Burt with a wink, which indicated at once to Trent and Rory that it was not entirely by chance at all…

After their close encounter with the most powerful man in the world, their dinner in the small dining room was almost an anti-climax. The surroundings were beautiful, the service attentive and the food exquisite, and it did give them all a chance to talk and get to know each other. It was the first time that Agnes had met the couple who had adopted her youngest grandson as their own, and she had to admit that she had been full of doubts at first. The more that she had heard about them from a variety of sources, the more her opinion had softened; and now, as she talked to Burt, the more she realised that Rory had been very fortunate in being taken in by the Hummels. Burt was a good man, determined to change the country into a better one in memory of his late son; Carole was a natural mother, who only had the best interests of the young people around her in her heart. Both of them had suffered great loss on a scale that Agnes herself could not imagine, but rather than dwelling on it and giving up, they had instead become 'parents' to Cooper and Rory; as good as that to so many others. As Carole told Sister Mary-Agnes, it helped that they knew that Burt's first wife would be looking after their boys. This expression of faith made her smile, but then, she didn't know how Carole knew that.

They discussed the wedding naturally, and then moved on to the issue of family. Agnes felt able to open up to Burt about her youngest brother, and how he had been banished for his sexuality in those very different days, not so very long ago. She became quiet as she told them all that she still wondered about Sean; where he had ended up; and if he had indeed made it to America, as he had always dreamed. For his part, Burt made a note of his name, and promised to see what he could do to find out more.

They did not stay out too late; the effects of jetlag were starting to tell on the three ladies, and so they headed back to their hotel after thanking Burt and Carole for their hospitality. Séamus escorted them there on his own, leaving Trent and Rory to walk the short distance back to their apartment. As they walked, Trent got a call from Nick, the latter wanting to confirm the arrangements for the next day. The talk quickly moved on to the events of that evening, including their close encounter, which earned them a "Wow!" from Nick.

"I was left to think how lucky I am," said Trent. "How lucky we all are… Some people would say that we do not live in a golden age, that the best days are gone; but it is one in which I can, and you could, marry the man we love - heck, just be with them and not face censure from everyone for it. Not like Rory's great uncle; thrown out of his home, denied access and contact with his family; forced by the gossipmongers to leave the country. There might be a lot of things that could be better, but I would not want to go back in time and be like poor Sean O'Connor." Nick agreed, and then they ended the call. It was about ten minutes later that he suddenly stopped and it hit him. He had heard that name before…


	41. Nick makes the link

**Nick makes the link**

The 'tea party' the next day was intended to replace a bachelor party; it was an event for both sexes, and was a chance for all of the two groom's friends to be introduced to their families. In the case of Rory, this meant his Nana and his brother, accompanied by a nun and a neighbour, as everyone already knew Burt and Carole; for Trent, it meant introducing his parents and his two big sisters to the gang, as he himself put it. A full flock of Warblers was expected, ranging in age from Mitchell to Skylar, all of whom had sung alongside Trent in the group; a full compliment of New Directions was expected too, with the exception of Puck, whose leave only allowed him to attend the wedding. Even Joe and Sugar had made the long journey from the small college town of Moscow, Idaho, where the former was studying for the ministry, and the latter to become an elementary school teacher. This left Quinn on her own, and so Thad adopted her; as he himself put it, they were both 'single but attached' at that days event, and she was only too happy to accept the gesture from the young man she had called her favourite Warbler the year before.

At the appointed start time, Nick and Jeff had still not arrived, and Mike was quick to offer apologies on their behalf, citing both issues in getting Caleb to his temporary home with Michelle, and Nick running around on a last minute errand. Nonetheless, they got under way, the two groups mingling happily and finding areas of common ground, which resulted in some interesting groupings. When Jeff appeared an hour late, it was to find François, Sebastian and Dave in deep conversation with a nun that he recognised at once as having met in Dublin. He waved across, and then found himself face to face with Trent. "Hey Jeff….no Nick?" said Trent, surprised that his oldest friend appeared to be there on his own.

"No, no, he is here, he just…" Jeff started and then putting an arm around Trent, he lowered his voice and continued. "Look, he wants a private word with you and Rory. He thinks that he might have stumbled across something big. Something that will affect Rory…" Trent's face fell at his friends words. He had known that everything was going to well; had known in his heart that his wedding would be dogged by the same bad luck that had affected his fellow Warblers in the past. Seeing this, Jeff quickly blurted out "No Trent, not in a bad way. It is a very good thing, trust me, if Nick is right."

Trent wondered about that, but nonetheless he managed to grab Rory away from where he was being grilled by his sisters Abby and Helena, and the two of them followed Jeff out the door; as they did so, Trent was sure that he heard a "Wanky!" from the direction of Santana as he and his fiancé vanished so furtively from their own party. They found themselves lead into a small room where four other people were waiting for them - Nick, Luke, Duncan and Tommy. On seeing the man that had revealed the details of Hunter's plot to the world, Trent rushed over to shake his hand, not having had an opportunity to see him since his release. He was happy to see him, but he did wonder why he was here. Rory and Jeff were talking to Luke and Duncan as Nick suddenly came over, and pulled Trent and Tommy to one side.

"Ok, guys, what I need to talk to you both about is this. It all started with a name; the same name that both of you told me. I didn't think it was likely at first, but then I thought it just might be, so I started to do some digging…"

Trent looked at Tommy, and asked "Do you have any idea what he is talking about?" Tommy just smiled and said nothing. Trent turned his attention back to Nick.

"Tommy is here today as he is on his way to start a new life for himself with his mother's birth father in Virginia - he doesn't want to go back to Ohio, nor does he want to interrupt his family's new life in Vermont. Now, notice that I said _birth_ father, not father. Tommy's mother only found out the truth about her parentage when her dad died, and her mother told her that her father was actually the man that she had thought of as an uncle from early childhood. He was a man like me, you, Rory and Jeff, Trent, if you get my drift…. The thing is, he was born in Ireland, came here in the 1960s in his late teens, and grew up in a small country town near Dublin…"

Trent looked puzzled, but before he could speak, Tommy spoke up. "Trust me Trent, I was as confused as you are when Nick got me to phone up my grandfather and ask him all of these questions, but as I repeated the answers he was giving me to Nick, he got more and more excited. Afterwards, when he told me why - well it was a complete shock, but a good one…."

"Trent," said Nick, a massive grin on his face, "his grandfather was raised in a little town called Clane. Oh, and I didn't mention this before, but Tommy and Duncan's grandfather is named Sean. Sean O'Connor…"

Trent stared at Nick, his mouth open. He shook his head, barely able to believe what he was hearing. "Wait, you are telling me…"

"That Tommy and Duncan might just be Rory's second cousins. If I am right. If he is the long lost younger brother of Agnes… It will need to be confirmed, naturally, but I thought I should let you know. I also thought it would be best if you told Rory, and now Tommy can tell Duncan." Trent nodded, and looked over at his fiancé, talking away happily to Duncan at that precise moment. "There is, of course, just one other thing," said Nick, a serious look on his face. "Sean O'Connor is on his way here right now to collect Tommy. I thought that if it is true, then it would be best to find out now, and what better way to find out than to have brother and sister reunited in person? I know that I should have waited, done more checks, but she is here now, and he has a reason to come. As you said to me, Clane is a small town, and would have been even smaller in the 1960s. Just how many Sean O'Connor's can there have been living there that left town in that decade?"

Trent could not disagree with that point. He nodded, and went over to Rory, and took him out of the room to a quiet spot to tell him; Tommy did the same with Duncan, leaving Luke with Nick and Jeff. The two husbands said nothing to the younger boy, just that he would find out in due course. Eventually Trent came back in with a tearful Rory, who rushed straight over to hug Nick; Trent himself told Jeff he was going to go and fetch Séamus, as he deserved to be forewarned too. As he left, Tommy and Duncan came back in, and the latter headed to Luke, who immediately hugged him. All the time, Rory kept glancing over at Duncan and Tommy, a smile on his face. If it was true, he suddenly had far more family in the States than he had thought. They would find out soon enough; time was ticking down to the moment that Sean would arrive.

When Séamus had been told, and he had been formally introduced to both Tommy and Duncan, there was nothing left for them to do but wait. Rory and Séamus went back to the party, to sit either side of their Nana as she held court, and make small talk as if they had no idea of the big shock that might be about to step through the door. Nick, Jeff, Luke and Duncan also joined the party; Jeff's first action was to introduce his cousin to Mitch, and to remind all of the others who the two boys were. For their part, they talked enthusiastically about their move to New York, and how much they were looking forward to starting at NYU. This attracted the attention of Seth at once, as he was also starting there, and soon the three of them were in deep discussion about the courses they were taking.

Trent meanwhile had stayed with Tommy, and they did not have long to wait for the man of the moment. He spotted Tommy, and came straight over to hug him. As he did so, Trent was immediately struck by his resemblance to Séamus. He said nothing though as Tommy made formal introductions. Trent then said that he should stay for a little while, and at least catch up with Duncan and Luke, and meet Jeff for the first time. It took a few moments to persuade him, but eventually he agreed. As the three of them stepped into the room, Trent saw that Rory's eyes immediately fell upon them, and he watched as they grew wide as he too saw the similarity to his brother. Trent took a breath, then asked Sean to come and meet his fiancé, and steered the older man in the direction of the spot. As they approached, Séamus looked over too, and nearly gasped in shock. This attracted the attention of Agnes, and she to turned her head to see what her grandsons were staring at…

Rory would later describe what happened next as one of those moments when the world just stopped for a few seconds; when all the rest of the world just faded away and there was silence. He watched as his Nana, and the man that he had never met both looked at each other and froze, as if suddenly time was rewinding 50 years to a scene in a small Irish town where two siblings were looking at each other for the last time. Instead of two people in their seventies, it was a young woman in her early twenties was staring at her teenage brother for the final time before the cruelty of life would separate them. His Nana would later tell him that it wasn't his strong resemblance to her eldest grandson that did it for her - it was his eyes; those same green eyes that still sparkled with a mixture of sadness and mischief…

"Agnes!? It can't be…"

"Oh, Sean, my little brother, it is… It is…"

"This is a dream Aggie…my sister back again…"

Then Agnes was on her feet and Sean was moving towards her, and then the two of them were holding each other tightly, afraid to let the other go, tears streaming down their cheeks. They weren't the only ones crying either; both Rory and Séamus were in tears, and Duncan was crying in his brother's arms. Nick had Jeff in his, as his husband began to tear up too. Then Rory realised that the whole room had now fallen silent as everyone watched the scene in front of them. Mrs Flynn had also stood up and had begun to make her way over to her friend and the man in her arms.

As she came to within touching distance, Sean looked up again, and now, seeing him clearly for the first time, she too gasped. "Now, it's never Betsy McGarrity…"

"Sean O'Connor, as I live and breathe… I never thought to see you again, and certainly not today," she said in a tearful voice, and Sean smiled, before pulling her in with his other arm, as all around them the room watched in silence and curiosity.

In the end, the reunited siblings were taken out to the small room once again, with Rory, Séamus, Duncan and Tommy at their side; Mrs Flynn joined them, as did Luke and Becca. Once they had left, Nick cleared his throat, and explained everything. He told them the story of how Sean had been forced from his home, then explained his own part in the tale; how he had recalled the name from two separate conversations, and had decided to check out if they were, by some chance, one and the same person. By some quirk of fate, his hunch had been right. As people began to try and work out what relation that made Trent to Nick ("Husband's cousin's boyfriend's second-cousin's husband," Carole had eventually announced.) or like Tina, had a good cry about how lovely it all was, they all began to debate the odds of it happening.

"It would be about as likely as someone's aunt walking in to the gay bar they were working in as a stripper," said Sebastian.

"Ha, ha!" said Flint from the next table; and suddenly Santana realised that the Warblers knew all about Flint's secret career. A part of her was angry that her little secret on him was not one anymore, but mainly, she was glad that his friends were accepting of it. She was also more curious as to what was going on in the room next door; indeed, they all were.

"I was always waiting for your letters Sean!" said Agnes. "You promised me faithfully the day you left that you would write to me, when you got settled, so that you could give me an address to write to you at. You never did; not one letter, ever. That hurt, Sean. It was always the two of us; the two youngest against the three older - and then you just deserted me!"

"I did write Aggie! I wrote to you the moment that I got myself a job in Brooklyn; I wrote several times, but you never replied…"

"Well I never got them…"

"You never would have done," said Mrs Flynn, making the other two turn in her direction. "Your da threw you out Sean; told you that you had disgraced the family. Agnes was still living at home, and if he had seen a letter with an American stamp on it, sure he would have thrown it on the fire unopened. That's if the postman even delivered it; he and your father were best friends after all, and I wouldn't have put it past him to just tell him not to deliver anything sent from the USA."

"She's right, Aggie. I was a fool - I should have written to her instead, and got Betsy to tell you where I was, give you my address. But those days are in the past, and it is now that I am concerned with. Now that I have found you again, I am not going to lose you. We might live on opposite sides of an ocean, but these days, that is nothing. The world has changed."

"In some ways, yes - but in others' no. Rory, my youngest grandson, lives here now because my daughter and her husband kicked him out for being gay, like you. Only thing is, he has met Trent and he has made him so happy. They are so right for each other, and so in love."

"The fact that they can get married is a sign of progress. The fact that my youngest grandson can have a boyfriend and not be ashamed of it; be supported by his parents and his brother - I am just so glad that I am alive to see this day."

"Let us not forget that it is through them, and their friend Nick that we have each other back again. As you said, I am not letting you escape again, Sean. I hope that you have a reliable phone line little brother, as I will be calling you up all the time just to catch up. Not that we can't have a good catch up over the next few days. After all, I should think that you will be invited to the weddings of your two great-nephews. After all, Séamus is getting himself a beautiful bride in Becca tomorrow; a Jewish girl from Baltimore. Our beloved father and siblings would all spin in their graves if they knew…"

Eventually the group rejoined the main party; formal introductions were made to Rory's great uncle and Duncan's great aunt. The latter had made a bee line for Nick the moment that she had walked into the room, and had hugged him long and hard, blessing him for being smart enough to reunite her with her little brother. Nick had blushed and had pointedly denied that he had done anything really special, but everyone in the room knew that he had and that he was just being his usual modest self. Jeff made a point of calling Grace and telling her what had occurred, so she could let Cooper know that Rory, his other 'little brother', had just discovered that he would one day be a distant relative of Jeff's - and also asked her to slap him if his first words were "God help him!" _Kinky Boots_ was keeping the two of them in New York until the actual day of his wedding, and he was fortunate to even have managed to get that day off. Grace made a point of sending her brother a congratulatory text, and dropped a broad hint that there were organisations that needed people with the skills that he had just shown to help bring together families torn asunder by war and conflict back together - and the fact that he would be a trained lawyer would be an equally important asset to them. It was one of the reasons that she was pushing him to take a minor in International Law at school. It was a field that she herself often wished she had studied as she waded through yet another mundane case at work.

The party finished relatively early, and they all headed to their rooms for the night. For those that had not been invited to the wedding the next day, they might just have taken a detour on the way there, although not as a group. Mike and Tina joined Mercedes, David and Thad at a jazz club downtown, a style of music that Mercedes was falling in love with; Santana and Brittany joined the majority of the Warblers, with the exception of Trent, Sebastian and Niff at a nightclub to dance away the next few hours, although they all agreed that it wasn't as good as New York. Luke and Duncan headed home with Artie and Kitty, and at the last minute they were joined by Quinn, for whom the idea of dancing without Puck held little appeal. She pointedly ignored the cry of "You're getting old, Fabray!" from Santana. She might be, she thought, but that was no bad thing; she would remind herself of that the following morning as she, after a good night's rest, took great pleasure in waking up the other two thirds of the Unholy Trinity by battering on the door of their hotel room, a smirking Kitty at her side. By the time that they did so, those that were attending the wedding had already left.

Country Club Wedding Mark I, as Sebastian termed it, was a very traditional affair. There were ladies in hats and bridesmaids in white, the latter carrying the train of a white wedding dress that rivalled that of any European princess. Four angels had been invited along by Séamus, and they had taken a spot on one side of the room, sitting on the edge of a table. Kurt loved the dress and Blaine agreed. Wes sensibly decided to say nothing, as he knew that he would receive the same death stare that Finn had received when he had said "It's ok, I guess…" Standing at the front, waiting for his bride to arrive, Séamus had expected to be a bag of nerves; instead, he felt a level of contentment that he had not done since early childhood, and when finally Becca was standing at his side, his heart felt light; all the world suddenly seemed so right, and so beautiful. Rory saw that moment arrive in the expression on his face, and he wondered if his on face would light up as much the following day when he stood in the same spot with Trent. He did glance at times to his Nana, sitting beside the brother that she thought she had lost forever just a day before, a broad smile on her face as she watched the first of her two grandsons marry for love.

The ceremony proceeded without a single hitch; both Nick and Jeff recalling as the words were uttered the moment that the former's father had arrived at their own wedding, and they were so glad that wasn't being repeated here. They had more company than they had been expecting, as Luke, Duncan and Tommy had joined Sean in being last minute additions to the guest list; moreover, after a tearful call to Mrs O'Hara in Vermont, they were all now expecting another tear filled occasion the following week in New York, when she met her aunt for the first time. When the time came for the celebrant to utter the words; to join Séamus and Becca together as Mr and Mrs Flanagan there was loud applause, and smiles shared between couples, and those that wished to be. The first day of celebration was well and truly under way, and that kept the minds of both Trent and Rory off the following day.


	42. The Nixon Wedding Part 1

**The Nixon Wedding Part I**

When Trent woke up in his bed that Saturday morning, he was alone. Although they had, like Nick and Jeff before them, decided not to observe the old tradition of getting married from separate houses, they had decided to do so from separate beds; and with Séamus now ensconced in the honeymoon suite, that had been easy. As he lay there, looking at the time, he thought not for the first time just how lucky he was. He had the love of a young Irishman that he adored; that they had even been reunited was all down to fate. Had Hunter not existed, had he not carried out his schemes, then he might have had to wait a lifetime to find the boy that had enchanted him that day at McKinley, if he had ever found him at all. They said that good could come out of evil, and in the case of himself and Rory, that did seem to hold true. He had always tried to look confident and in control when he was at Dalton, but in those months after the trauma of Hunter's reign, when he had been the unofficial Head Warbler, he had woken up scared to death almost every day. He had resigned himself to a lonely existence, and then…

Now he was about to get married to the person that completed him; to his missing puzzle piece, to steal a phrase from an old and departed friend. Rory had changed him, that much was true and clear for them all to see. He no longer had to act confident, to hide behind the sassy front, because he felt confident and proud of who he was. He smiled a lot more now - everyone had remarked on that, and that was because he was much more comfortable in his skin. The fact that Rory had been keeping an eye on what he ate, and that as a consequence his waistline had shrunk helped with that. He was never going to be as lean and lithe as Jeff, Sebastian or his Rory, but he was closer in stature to Nick now, and he had even developed some muscle tone. 'Yes,' Trent thought, 'Life is good. And having a husband will just be the icing on the proverbial cake.'

In the room next door, Rory was also awake. His first thought was that the day was not quite as sunny as the previous one, when the sun had shone brightly from a cloudless sky. That did not matter to him though; today he was going to be married to his very own sunshine. It would not have mattered if it had been pouring with rain, or blowing a gale; as long as he got to marry his Trent, in front of his friends and family, then nothing else mattered. He knew that he was fortunate; that circumstances had let him reunite with Trent; had made it possible that his Nana and his brother would be at his side, and that he would be joined by his great uncle and two second cousins that he had not even been aware of until two days ago - he still could not quite believe that they actually had been in his life, unknowingly related. He had returned to the US thinking that he had no-one, thanks to the spiteful actions of his mother, but now he had so much; a set of substitute parents in Burt and Carole; two 'brothers' in the shape of Cooper and Sam to go with Séamus - and he was only going to be forty miles away now, close enough to visit every weekend if he wished. Not to mention his Warbler brothers….

And then, he had Trent. A best friend, a life partner, a lover, and soon to be a husband. He had secretly been practising his new signature for a while now, getting used to his new name - Rory Nixon. A part of him was sorry to be losing the Flanagan altogether because of how it tied him to Séamus, but every attempt that he had made to try and hyphenate the two names had just sounded wrong or bizarre; they had even tried merging the two names, nearly settling on becoming Trent and Rory Flixon. Trent would have agreed to that, for him, but in the end, he had vetoed the idea. He wanted to be with Trent, and if that meant having to become Mr Nixon, then that was more than ok with him.

In the end it was only a knocking at the door that made Trent get out of bed, with Rory close behind him. He opened the door to let in Mitch, who was carrying a suit bag, and at his side stood Cooper, fresh off the overnight train from New York. He had been asked by Séamus to help get Rory ready as he was otherwise engaged. Between them, Cooper and Mitch prepared a light breakfast for the two grooms-to-be - they had heard of the banquet that they could expect later from Carole. It felt odd to both Trent and Rory to just sit there and wait for food to be brought to the table, but the brief moment of privacy that it afforded them let them chat about the day ahead.

"It's here at last; the big day," said Trent. "The day that I have been waiting for all my life; the day I marry my handsome prince."

"I'm no prince; but I am the luckiest guy in the world alongside you," replied Rory, taking his hand.

"If Santana was here, she would be screaming Wanky!" said Cooper as he walked in, carrying two plates of scrambled egg, potato scone and black pudding. The latter made Rory stare in surprise, until Cooper laughed and said, "You can thank Grace for that; she thought it would be a nice idea to bring some from the diner. Your best man Trent is looking at it very strangely, however." Mitch appeared at that point with a tray with orange juice and coffee. He had no sooner set it down than Trent and Rory started to nag him about trying the Irish delicacy - he eventually allowed himself to be persuaded, and after eating some, he had to agree that although the idea sounded revolting, it didn't taste that bad…

There was no rush made for the two grooms; Mitch had devised a system that would allow both of them to relax and let everyone else worry about the small things. So, as he ate with the boys in the comfortable surroundings of their apartment, the last minute tasks of collecting buttonholes, organising transport and make all the tiny checks to ensure that everything would be perfect had been delegated to friends and family. Two mothers had already set off to the venue to double check the preparations of the staff - to check the flowers, the decorations and the seating plan. Burt and George Nixon had accompanied them, but planned to let the ladies get on with it whilst they took a stroll through the grounds - some things were best left to others. Burt was pretty sure that a group of four angels would have helped in the process in any case. The two men caught up on life as they walked; they had first met when Trent had urged his father to support Burt in his campaign for Congress, and they had remained good friends since. The other guests arrived gradually; from the extended family of Trent, the close family of Rory, and their friends in the New Directions and the Warblers - all of them appeared in smart clothing, all of them to be welcomed by the two sets of parents. One of the first to arrive at the venue had been Puck, fresh off the base and still in his uniform. He had to stay in it until Quinn arrived with the others, as she had insisted on hiring him a new suit - his own was getting a bit shabby and frayed, and the one that had been made for him for the Klaine wedding was designed for a far chillier day in New York, not the 91°F heat of the summer.

Among the last to arrive were the majority of the Warblers, who had travelled together, and had made an unscheduled stop along the way. They had all seen the road sign pointing in the direction of Harwood at about the same moment; there had been multiple cries of "Stop!" to the driver of the minibus they were travelling in. Then Thad found himself forced out to stand with the sign pointing at him whilst photographs were taken - firstly with him just looking resigned; secondly with Mr Bangy clutched in his hand, and finally, after much persuasion, with him doing his best jazz hands, and trying hard not to laugh as loudly as the others. He knew that they would be on Facebook soon enough, but he didn't mind…

Of course, no wedding day ever went completely to plan; that is not the way of the world. In the case of Trent and Rory, the slight issue emerged after they were both shaved, washed and more or less dressed. When the knock on the door came, they knew that it would be Séamus; Becca was heading to the ceremony with her family, and he would join the others in the one car. It was indeed Rory's brother, but he was not alone; at his side stood his Nana, and he had a look of horror on his face. Rory took one look, and had to go and sit down; Trent took a look and decided that **all** Warbler weddings had to be cursed. "Ok, break it to us gently Séamus… What is it? Is the venue on fire? Is someone dead? Or have the aliens landed?"

"Worse. Rory, I just found out that our parents left Clane for the airport in Dublin yesterday morning, booked on a flight to the States. They have apparently found out where you are getting married, and are on their way there now to stop it. I wanted to let you know first before we call the club. They can stop them getting in; beef up the security; warn the others and even delay things until after they have left. I am so sorry, little brother. I did not want anything to ruin your big day for you, not after mine was so perfect…."

Rory was stuck in a silent state of shock, and so Trent replied to Séamus. "Well, that is not really an issue," he said, his voice defiant. "They can't stop us, and they will not stop us! I have stood up to your mother once before, Rory, and this time, I will have a heck of a lot of back up. I don't like your mother's chances against Santana, Puck and a group of highly annoyed Warblers! Do you know what I say to you, Séamus? Bring it on!"

Rory laughed, and smiled again. "Yeah, Trent, you are right as always, my love. All I want to know is how they even found out? We were so careful, we kept it all so quiet…"

"It was me," said a voice, and the three young men turned round to stare at Agnes. "She was pestering me all the time after she found out that I was coming to your wedding Séamus; about not getting an invite, about how mortifying it was, and one day, in a fit of anger, it just slipped out. She was bemoaning not being at her eldest son's wedding again, and I suddenly yelled she wasn't being invited to either of her son's weddings… After that, well, you both know what she can be like once she gets a bee in her bonnet, and in the end, I'm afraid I caved in and told her the time date and venue - The Country Club, Bristol, Washington. However, you have one thing wrong. She thinks that it is you getting married today Séamus, not Rory. I am so sorry…"

Before either of her grandsons could speak, Mitch suddenly spoke. "Dear lady, you do not need to be, and I think you might actually know that. I mean, if that was the exact location that you gave to your daughter - I mean, Trent, Cooper, think about it what she just said, you clever woman you…"

Trent just looked confused; Cooper turned, and said "I don't know what you mean! She told them… oh, now I see! No DC! She didn't say DC!" This earned him a nod from Mitch, who pulled out his phone and started to do a search on Google.

"I still don't see what difference that makes…" said Séamus.

"It does. It makes all the difference," said Trent, now starting to grin. "Rory, Séamus, your parents would have gone online and tapped in the exact address to find out where they had to fly to. Now, if they had flown here yesterday, they would have arrived long before now. So I am guessing that instead, your parents flew to Seattle…"

"I am positive that they would have done so, Trent," said Mitch, turning round his phone so they could all see the screen. "After all, it is very close to the small community of Bristol, Washington STATE…."

Suddenly, they all had a vision of an Irish couple charging into a building in a small town in the Pacific North West and demanding a halt to be made oh the abomination of a wedding that was about to take place. They all tried their hardest not to do it, but one look at each other's faces was enough to set them all off. After they had all managed to stop laughing, Cooper became serious for a moment, and said "I hope that there isn't actually a wedding taking place there, because that would be awful for the poor couple involved." A quick check on the internet revealed that there was no wedding scheduled for that day in the country club in Bristol; however, in a twist of fate, there was instead a production of _Seven Brides for Seven Brothers_ scheduled for that morning instead. When this was announced, they all pondered the idea of someone bursting into a musical and demanding an end to the farce that was taking place - and that made them all laugh again.

"I feel just a little bit guilty about all of this," said Agnes, ignoring the look of disbelief that Trent promptly gave her. "This will be awfully embarrassing for my dear daughter and her lovely husband; it would be even worse if it happened to leak into the local papers at home…" She then winked, and made them all chuckle.

"Remind me Nana to never, ever, ever cross you," said Rory with a grin.

"Ok, so crisis over - but if we aren't careful, then we will have another one - just look at the time!" said Cooper, and they all realised that the car would be arriving at any minute, and both grooms needed to finish getting dressed. Two best men grabbed two grooms, and Cooper, being the perfect gentleman, made Agnes a cup of tea. She deserved it after all; her subterfuge had been quite astounding and had avoided causing them all a lot of distress. There was only one thing that they did not check. There was no wedding at the country club in Bristol, but in the small town hall next door…

The sun was trying to break through the clouds as they drove up to the country club in Bristol, Maryland, but it did not shine as brightly as it had the day before. That was not a big issue; it was dry, the winds were light and there would definitely not be any last minute hitches. Agnes took Cooper's arm as they stepped out of the car, and after she had kissed both of her grandsons, her grandson to be, and because she did not wish him to feel left out, a blushing Mitch, she let him lead her in. As they stepped inside, the manager came to the door, and escorted the wedding party inside. The grooms had rejected the notion of having two separate rooms to make their final preparations in, so they stood side by side as the two best men checked their appearance, sorted out their buttonholes, and with comic timing, both pretended to have lost the ring simultaneously. Trent and Rory had just smiled indulgently at that. If it had been real, then Nick and Jeff's engagement rings were on standby for temporary use.

Then it was finally time; unlike Nick and Jeff, they had elected to walk in together, and proceed to the front side by side. The only thing that made it less than perfect for both of them was that there was no Wes to serenade them as they did so. He could have done so, and indeed had offered, but they rejected the idea. He would only have been audible to a chosen few after all. So it was that the four angels in attendance took up spots right at the front, facing the congregation, two on either side; Kurt and Finn as New Directions for Rory; Blaine and Wes as Warblers for Trent.

The room was full of chatter as they arrived. Every one of their friends had made it, without exception. Ethan and Drew had arrived back from England two days earlier, and now sat next to Beats and Flint. As Trent observed the room, he suddenly spotted Gabriel, the Head Warbler when Wes had been a freshman; he wondered how he was here, and then realised that he must have been the mystery guest that Mitch had invited as his plus one. For Rory, it was no real surprise to see Sue Sylvester sitting alongside the Schuesters - he had sent her an invite, because as Trent pointed out, she would invite herself if we didn't in any case. No, the surprise was seeing Becky Jackson at her side, obviously as her plus one. Becky had always been kind to him at McKinley, even when she had been doing the bidding of the vengeful Sue. Not far from them sat his family and his new in-laws, all only too pleased to come and support him on his big day.

He turned then to look at Trent one final time as they stood on the threshold of both the room, and the state of marriage. He could see in him now the same things that had made his heart leap on that fateful day at McKinley. The kind eyes, the warm face, the sweet smile. At the same time, he had changed, as they all had. He was not the innocent boy he had been then. Trent had found himself embroiled in a world of misery and pain; had fought for the right and won. He had lost too many of his friends too young, as had he himself. Yet, he was the same; the man that he pictured himself growing old with, the man he imagined having a family with. Then he saw that Trent was looking at him in much the same way, and he knew that he was thinking the same things as he was.

"Ready?" said Trent, in a whisper.

"I am, Mr Nixon. Let's do this. I can't wait any longer to become Mr Nixon as well."

"I can't wait either - and now, we don't have to wait anymore," came Trent's quiet reply.

They walked down the aisle, their best men right behind them, to the celebrant at the front; the same woman that had married Séamus to Becca the day before. As a result, she began the ceremony with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, yesterday many of you were here to witness the wedding of Séamus to Becca; today, we are gathered here to witness the marriage of Trent to Rory, the younger brother of Séamus. It is the first time in all of my years in this role that I have married two brothers to their respective spouses, and I have to say, it is an occasion that fills me with joy…" The service was a short one, as both grooms had requested; they did not want to spend hours inside a room on a hot summer's day; indeed, they had considered getting married outside, but had decided that there was always a risk of rain, and that it would be a chance to far.

There were no objections to the wedding; immediately afterwards though, several people heard Cooper whisper to Grace the words "Mainly because the objectors are in the wrong Bristol…" This made them all curious, and they knew that once the ceremony was done, they would have to ask questions as to what he meant. Meanwhile, it was time for the vows, and like Nick and Jeff before them, they had written vows of their own. As many of them had anticipated, Trent had insisted that Rory went first.

"As you will all know, I grew up in a small town in Ireland. It was not the worst of childhoods - I had my ever loving nana and my big brother to take care of me, but as I grew older, I realised that I did not fit. It was Séamus that pushed me into applying for the student exchange programme, and as such, I guess it is him that we have to thank for the fact that I was on the stage of a high school auditorium in Lima, Ohio, when my eyes alighted on him. A boy; a boy that made my heart flutter; a boy I wanted to grab and talk to there and then. I didn't know why exactly; all I knew was that I felt compelled to talk to him. But I didn't get a chance to, and I was back home in Ireland before I finally worked out exactly why I had wanted to talk to him so badly. Fate isn't always cruel though, and although the circumstances of our eventual reunion were so tragic, this time I knew what I wanted… And now, here we are! Trent, you are my soulmate; you are the one person that understands me, sometimes better than I understand myself. You love me with all of your heart and soul. You make me feel so loved and cherished. In return, I promise you that I will return that love, more and more every day of our lives. I promise that I will never stop showing you just how much I love you; that I will support you, as you support me, to achieve our goals. This is forever; from now on, I will be at your side, constantly, through all eternity, my one true love."

"Rory, my love, I always knew that I was different - to my family, this was never an issue; all that mattered to them was that I was happy. It was a different story at school, and like so many of the other boys at Dalton, I was a target for every bully in middle school. Dalton was my safe haven; it had a strictly enforced anti bullying policy, and I felt able to be myself. There, I would meet the group of guys that would become my best friends - the Warblers. Not that I joined them at once - it was only after a lot of persuasion from Jeff, and a good amount of mentoring from Wes that I felt able to sing with them. Thanks to them, I was in that auditorium in Lima on the day that I finally saw the most beautiful boy in the world up on the stage; and just like you Rory, all I wanted to do from the moment I saw you was talk to you. That is one reason why I lead the charge to join the New Directions on the stage - and I am ashamed to admit it, a more important reason than joining in with the singing about being more tolerant. But as you said, it was not to be that day… When first Kurt and then Blaine died, so closely after each other, my heart broke, and I felt so low - until the day that I headed back to that auditorium in Lima to rehearse for Blaine's funeral, and there, in that same place, on that same stage, was that same young man. Older, sadder, but still so beautiful. When he saw me, his face lit up, and my heart felt whole again. That was the start of the path that has brought us here, to the moment when we are joined in heart and soul, forever. Rory, my love, I promise to love you and only you for all eternity; to support you on whatever course our lives together take us; to help you as between us we raise our family; and to tell you, each and every morning, just how beautiful you are to me."

The vows over, the celebrant took their hands, and joined them together. Then she took out a small strip of fabric. Seeing the quizzical looks from some of the congregation, she explained. "This band of cloth was given to me by Rory's grandmother. It is an Irish tradition that when a couple are married, their hands are bound together by the cloth to symbolise that they are being joined together as one. She asked me if I would be prepared to do this yesterday at the wedding of Séamus and Becca; likewise today, if as yesterday, the two grooms have no objection." Trent and Rory both nodded their assent, and she began to wind the cloth round their joined hands. "As you can see, she has also embroidered this band herself with two symbols. A robin and a shamrock, as she says that they represent the two grooms."

As she finished wrapping the cloth around their hands, there was a faint sound of bells, and everyone noted that Agnes and Mrs Flynn were ringing two small bells; they would all later find out that this was another tradition the two ladies wanted to observe. When the wrapping was done, the bells stopped, and the celebrant said the words they had all been waiting for. "I hereby declare, by the powers vested in me by the State of Maryland, that having exchanged vows, and rings, Trent and Rory are now married. Let those that have been joined here today in our sight never be put asunder. So let us now welcome them both into their new life together as husbands." As the room erupted in applause, Trent turned to a smiling Rory, and both instinctively knew what they had to do; they locked their lips together in a kiss.

When they finally pulled apart, and the noise died down, Trent turned to Rory, whilst motioning for silence. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "I have a confession to make; a little something that Rory knows nothing about. It basically concerns what we are about to do now; that is, sign all the paperwork that will register our marriage and make it legal and completely above board. So, here goes… Last month, we were both so busy with all the plans for today, and with work, that I might have tricked him into signing something without him actually reading it…."

Rory looked at him with curiosity, and ignored the whispered "Uh, oh! I bet it was a prenup" from someone in the room; someone to his surprise that was not actually Santana.

"It was a form by which he agreed to change his legal name, and it became effective last week. Now, before he hits me, or Séamus does; before he asks me for a divorce, or our lovely celebrant for an annulment; and before any of you start to suggest what I changed his name to, I should also point out that I also changed my name on the same day. You see, we had a lot of discussions about what our married name should be, given the example that Nick and Jeff set us. After a lot of talk, we agreed on Nixon, at I should point out, Rory's insistence. He said that it was for the best, that it was fine, but I could tell from his face that the idea of abandoning Flanagan altogether made him sad. I couldn't have him potentially regretting his decision once we were married, so I had to do something… So, I might just have changed his name to Rory Flanagan Flanagan, the first one being a middle name… Then, I filled out the form to change my name to Trent Flanagan Nixon, the Flanagan once again being a middle name. It sounds silly, I know, but whereas together our names sounded wrong and clunky - in the case of both Nixon-Flanagan and Flanagan-Nixon - Rory F. Nixon sounds perfectly acceptable. I just wanted to join in by becoming Trent F. Nixon. It means that we have both kept our surname in our name, and gained the others. I should have told you Rory, my love, but I knew that you would just have said that it was too much trouble, and really, it wasn't…"

There was silence as everyone waited for a shocked looking Rory to speak. They all had to agree with Trent; the hyphenated options did sound so wrong, but this way, it was perfect. In the end, Rory did not speak; he merely leant forward, and pulled Trent into a deep hug, eventually whispering "Thank you" in his ear. Séamus looked on, wiping away a stray tear from his eye. He had been aware of the heartache his brother had felt at giving up his name completely, but he would never have expected Trent to pull out such a wonderful surprise; even if said surprise did mean that for the last week, his brother had unknowingly had once of the weirdest names in the world.

The paperwork was signed, and then it was time for the photographs. Artie had, of course, agreed to make a video of the whole day, but it was down to a photographer that Burt knew to take the official ones. As the man in question was usually called upon to take all the official images for the White House, they all assumed they would be good. The process took a long time. There were some of the couple alone together; some with the two best men; some with Trent's family and some with Rory's, the latter including Becca, his new great-uncle Sean, his second cousins Tommy and Duncan, and therefore Luke, alongside the ladies from Ireland, Burt and Carole. They posed for another with Cooper, Grace, Sam and Rachel, so that Carole would have one of her three boys with their partners. And so it continued, until the final shot - one of the two grooms with Nick, Jeff, Sebastian and Dave. As they posed, Trent couldn't help but whisper "Your turn next Seb!" to his friend.

"Can't be soon enough," Sebastian whispered in reply, causing all six of them to smile broadly for the camera. After all, Sebastian did not like being the odd one out these days.


	43. The Nixon Wedding Part II

**The Nixon Wedding Part II**

With Trent and Rory now husbands, and with the long photo session over, it was time to eat. When the doors to the main reception hall were finally opened, most people stopped for a moment on the threshold just to stare at the quantity of food on offer. Rachel had gasped in delight when she saw the table labelled as 'Vegan Friendly' and just how many options she had been provided with; normally at buffets, she had to stick to salads, and the odd canapé; here there were all of those things, plus little warm cheese and onion rolls and tiny tartlets. As Trent had guessed, as each of the Warblers had stepped in, they had paused, sighed, then stepped over to hug him for preparing the kind of feast they had dreamed off back at school.

Soon, everyone had a plate and a seat; there was no formal seating plan, as the two grooms had wanted everyone to mix and talk. Trent knew that it had worked when he saw Beats, Flint and Elliot in conversation with Sister Mary Agnes - he just hoped that they steered clear of discussing stripping; but then realised that if they did, then the good sister would probably surprise them all and not even bat an eyelid. Rory's Nana and Mrs Flynn had imposed themselves on Sue Sylvester, and when Trent pointed that out to his husband he had snorted with laughter as he imagined how that might be going. Cooper had assembled a small group of Warblers around him, and was telling them about the mix-up with the two Bristols; the grins on David and Thad's faces stretched from ear to ear at the prospects. They did, of course, point out that either the Flanagans themselves would twig, or someone would tell them. With the different time zones, however, it would be some time until they could arrive - and by then, it would all be over. Behind them, listening intently, Santana, Quinn and Puck plotted exactly what they would do to them if they did manage to appear.

Even the Warblers looked slightly horrified when the waiting staff came to remove the savoury dishes - or rather the empty plates were cleared away - and they were replaced by an equal quantity of desserts. "Ok, so the group diet starts tomorrow," joked the usually quiet Ethan; this set off a bout of laughter that made him smile.

Before they began on the desserts though, there were to be speeches. Séamus stood up, and tried to get a bit of hush in the otherwise noisy room. He was having no luck, until Thad realised that this was his cue; he pulled out Mr Bangy from his suit pocket, and bang him hard on the table in front of him a few times. This brought the room to total silence at once, but earned the Head Warbler a funny look from Agnes, who turned to Mrs Flynn and whispered "Does he think he is in a law court?" Séamus had the silence he needed, but he did not speak - instead there was movement amongst the guests in the room, and Sam made his way forward, to leap up onto the dais on which the top table sat.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, before the brother of the groom makes his speech, we have a little tribute to pay to Rory, and I guess indirectly to him too. In case any of you are not aware of this, quite a few of us young people in the room like to sing from time to time, and Rory was a key member of the little school glee club I was a member of the year we won the national competition. So in honour of that, we have a little something planned." Sam smiled, and at once, music began to play - it was a tune that Agnes recognised at once, and then it clicked with both Rory and Séamus. Sam opened with the first line of _When Irish Eyes are Smiling_ ; Mike then took a line, followed by Artie, Ryder and finally Puck, before Jake and Joe joined in on the chorus. Whilst the attention of the room had been on them, the Warblers had made their move, and as the second verse started, all eyes had to swing to the opposite end of the dais, where Nick started to sing, followed in turn by Sebastian, Jeff, Thad and David. In the second chorus, all the Warblers joined in. the song moved many of them to tears, all the more so with the poignant choice of line for Thad - "And there's never real care or regret." On hearing him sing those words, Wes, who had been standing at the back impassively, suddenly burst into tears, as he could see in Thad's face that his boyfriend's heart was breaking as he sang words that were for him untrue. Wes suddenly felt an arm around his shoulder, and turned to smile at Finn, who nodded towards the dais; on turning back, Wes saw that David had placed an arm around Thad's shoulder too. Behind the singers, at their spot on the table, Trent was holding Rory's hand as his husband let the tears fall as he felt the love of all his friends come through in the way they sang the classic Irish song. The applause that followed their efforts was all the reward that his friends needed.

Then it was finally time for the speeches to be made. Séamus stood up, and first thanked the boys for their song, then cursed them roundly for making him cry. He went on "If someone had told me years ago that the day after my own wedding I would be at my little brother's, I would have told them to be quiet before laughing out loud. But here we all are… I am so pleased to welcome Trent into my heart as a brother-in-law; he is a good guy, and he is also the first person that I have known that has ever stood up to my mother, and won! My family has got a heck of a lot bigger this week, when you think about it - I gained my very beautiful wife and her family; I got my great-uncle and my second cousins; and now I have gained the Nixon family too. One day, hopefully not too soon, there may well be new little members of my family to welcome too. So, in conclusion, once again I welcome you to the madness Trent; and ask everyone to raise their glasses in a toast to him and my little brother. I give you all, The Grooms!"

Then it was the turn of Mitch to stand up. "Ladies; Gentleman; Warblers; New Directions; Friends and family, what a day this is! I feel so fortunate to be here today at the side of someone that I can honestly say is the most loyal friend I have. Trent is a man of morals; a respecter of standards; the kind of guy you want your child to bring home and introduce as their boyfriend. Now, from what I have been told, much the same could be said of his new husband, Rory. He and Trent just seem so perfect together. When I first meant the freshman Trent Nixon at Dalton Academy, he was bruised and battered; now he is happy, smiling, and in darn good shape - obviously having Rory in his life agrees with him! I guess that is what love does to you. It makes you happy, gives you comfort, makes you feel whole. As I said, I am so honoured to be here because I lost my place - I deserted Trent just when he most needed a friend. I know for a fact that Rory will never do that to him, or vice versa. It just fills my heart with joy to look at the pair of them and see how happy they are, because if we are all honest with ourselves, they have what most of us are seeking in life, and few of us are lucky enough to find - real, true, love. So a toast, but not just to them; I know they would wish to make a toast to the four friends that are not here in body, but may well be in spirit - I say that because I'm pretty sure I heard Wes earlier, but that is wishful thinking. The toast is the happy couple, and absent friends!"

As they all drank a second toast, Trent's eyes had shifted to focus on Wes, who was trying his best to look innocent, even as three other angels around him looked at him with broad smiles. Trent realised that the eyes of all the other Warblers in the room, with the exception of Mitch and Gabriel, had shifted to the back of the room where their late leader was standing. They all knew what had to be done now; they would have to test just how clearly Mitch was hearing him, and then once they had established that he really was, Trent would take him to one side and tell him the truth. With that thought in his mind, he turned his attention back to the room, where once again Séamus was on his feet, and everyone had once again fallen silent. "Well the feast that we have just eaten, and the one of desserts that is waiting for us are all part of a good traditional Irish wedding reception; the main thing missing here is copious quantities of alcohol, but that was something that my brother insisted we forego. So, we have to move on to something that is another tradition, in a way… Normally at some point the priest would make a speech of blessing for the couple he has just married. Well, we have no priest, but what we do have is someone much better, and they have been prepared for this moment by my Nana. Ladies and Gentlemen, please be silent for a lady that entered my brother's life at Dublin Airport as he waited for his flight here to attend Blaine's funeral - Sister Mary-Agnes."

The lady in question rose to her feet; she was small in stature, but she got respect from everyone in the room, of all faiths and none. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I promise that I will keep this short, as like all of you I am really looking forward to trying some of those delicious looking desserts! This is my first time in the United States, and I would like to thank all of you for making me feel so welcome. A lot has been said today about fate; that it is only due to that, that the lovely young couple I see before me came to be reunited. If that is indeed true, then it was fate that guided me to sit next to young Rory that morning in the airport departure lounge, to see if I could help him with the distress that he was quite obviously feeling. He told me his story, and he did mention Trent to me - and I told him that if it was meant to be… The fact that we are all here tells me that it was. Some people in my Order think that the world has deviated too far from 'the proper paths', but are the paths that were established in my youth the right ones now? I don't think they are, but don't tell my Mother Superior that!" She paused as there was a ripple of laughter around the room. "I am positive that God will bless Rory and Trent, as he blesses all of us gathered in this room today. I believe that a loving God will bless everyone that is in love, and these two lovely boys are in love. So, my toast is to love and happiness; to a long and peaceful life together; and when and if they want to hear them, may they be blessed with the patter of tiny feet - and that goes for all of the young couples here. To love!"

Glasses were raised; a few people felt compelled to say Amen, whilst others just marvelled at the fact that she had made such an honest speech. As for Rory, he stood up, and pulled the nun into a hug. "Thank you Sister. May God bless you too!" he whispered, grateful for her kind heart, her wise words, and whatever guiding hand had directed such a wise woman into his path.

The speeches finished, there was an almost immediate attack on the desserts. As they made their way over, pretending in some cases just to be strolling nonchalantly, the doors to the room burst open, and staff appeared with more trays, carrying dishes of ice cream, sorbet and mousse from the cold cabinets in the next room. "Oh my, just how many kinds of ice cream are there?" said Kitty as she watched the bowls being deposited on the table in front of her.

"Six of ice cream, three of sorbet and four different kinds of mousse," said Trent, as he walked over to collect a dish of blackcurrant sorbet for Sister Mary-Agnes, and a bowl of pistachio ice cream for himself. "Everyone has a different favourite, so we decided to cater for it as best as we could."

As he walked away, Kitty turned to Artie at her side, and whispered quietly "There is such a thing as too many options. I mean, how on earth do we decide?"

"Simple, my dear. We each select two, and then share them, if you don't mind?"

"Of course not. It is one of the reasons that I love you Artie Abrams. You always seem to be thinking of other people in your choices. Ok, so there are several different kinds of mini muffins as well! When we get married, we will be having fewer choices…" Kitty stopped, as she realised what she had just said. For his part, Artie said nothing; he just took her hand and smiled broadly. "I mean…"

"I know what you mean, and your point is hereby noted, my love. Not as many choices. I think that we can agree on that…" The two of them made their selections, and went back to sit in a quiet corner, where everyone made a point of ignoring the fact that the two of them proceeded to feed each other ice cream.

In another quiet corner of the room, Flint found himself sitting on his own with a plate of coffee flavoured ice cream and a couple of buttermilk pancakes. He had been sitting there with Beats and Elliot for the majority of the meal, but upon returning with his dessert, having left the other two sitting there talking, he found them gone. He could not spy them anywhere, but then again, the French windows had been opened, and some people had made their way into the gardens, as the sun had started to shine. He had momentarily considered joining them, and seeking out his two friends, but then he had resolved instead to sit inside in comfort and eat his dessert first; plus there was a large pile of baby cupcakes which he could be tempted by afterwards….

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

Flint looked up and found himself staring straight into a pair of beautiful brown eyes, set in a warm smiling face, framed by shoulder length auburn hair. "Well, no, not really… My friends were sitting here, but they aren't now, obviously… so yeah, it isn't taken. And I sounded like a complete idiot there, didn't I?"

"Not really," the young lady said with a smile and a giggle. "I caught you by surprise, and as you don't know me, you felt tongue-tied and awkward. So let's resolve that with introductions. My name is Isadora Bernstein, but people call me Izzy. I am here at this festival of food, with side order of wedding, because Rory officially became my brother-in-law yesterday."

"I'm Flint, Flint Wilson. Trent and I were at Dalton Academy together. So you are Becca's sister?"

"Yes, I have that honour; which means that I now have the privilege of being the one that my dear sweet aunts will be seeking a husband for… That is the joy of being stuck with meddling Jewish aunts!"

"I know that feeling, only I have something much worse - a Jewish mother!"

"Now there I am lucky, I guess. They have always said, my parents, that Becca and I could marry who we choose. She chose to marry a not unattractive Irish Catholic. The aunts were up in arms about that one, and boycotted the wedding, so yesterday was a great day."

"Do you think your parents would consider adopting me? My mother has kind of promised me to the daughter of her best friend; a frankly ugly girl called Berniece Rubens."

"Well that will not do! We can't have one of the gorgeous Preppy Boys marrying someone ugly!" Flint was suddenly frozen in his seat, and felt as if his entire meal was about to come back up. Seeing his discomfort, Izzy leant towards him and whispered in his ear. "It's alright, trust me." She took his hand, now trembling slightly, and continued. "We had planned to head to the bar in Princeton for the bachelorette party, but the moment that Becca mentioned it to Rory, just in passing, he told us that it would be a very bad idea indeed. Which did make me curious, to be honest, and so I did some research. I went looking online, and found a lot of images; and a lot of information about the stars of the show, the Preppy Boys. Then on Thursday night, at the pre-wedding tea party, I looked across the room, and…"

"You saw me and Beats," said Flint with a sigh. "My little job is one of many reasons why my mother and I do not currently see eye to eye. My aunt, her sister, might just have turned up at the bar for a bachelorette party; and then one night, when she was drunk, and my mom had a dig at her, she blurted out what she had seen. Needless to say, things have gone well since then…"

"You poor thing! I don't see anything wrong with what you are doing; I doubt that my parents would bat an eyelid either! You are a very buff, handsome guy, and I don't think it is a terrible thing to share that with other people. I mean, your friend is nice too, but you are far more the type of guy I like. So tell me, Mr Wilson, are you like Trent and Rory?"

"Like… Oh, no, I am not even remotely bisexual; maybe a bit of a bromance with Beats, who is my best friend, but no. I'm straight, and at the moment, single."

"Now that is a pity - a cute guy like you should certainly have a girlfriend."

"My job doesn't exactly help with my prospects there. Not many woman would want a part-time stripper as a boyfriend."

"I wouldn't mind - it's a job, and I take it that you don't…"

"Oh, Lord, no. Nothing like that, ever. Not Beats either."

"Good. So, I am going to be studying at Princeton next year, and I know that girls are not supposed to do this, but hey it is the 21st century! What I'm saying is this - would you like to go out with me for a coffee sometime? I mean, I would totally understand if you didn't want to…"

Flint looked back at Izzy in shock. For the first time in his life, a beautiful girl was asking him out. And she was so beautiful… "I guess that would be nice, yeah, but I would like to know a bit more about you first; so why don't the two of us just sit here, and you can tell me all I need to know about Izzy…"

It was Kurt that noticed it first; that the usually quiet Flint was talking with increasing animation to a young lady that he did not recognise, and she was talking back to him just as happily. He said nothing at first - just stood and observed as she began to play with her hair; as Flint puffed out his chest slightly, sat up straight, and kept gazing right into her eyes. It was when the two of them began to edge closer together and started to giggle that he felt obliged to give Blaine a gentle nudge, then gesture discretely over in the direction of the pair. Blaine looked, smiled, and then went to whisper to Wes, who came over and joined them. "Who is she?" said Kurt. "I have no idea…"

"If I am not mistaken then that is Rory's new sister-in-law; yes, that's it. Her name escapes me for the moment, but that's who she is. From what I can see, she seems to like our Flint, and from his actions, I would suggest that the feeling is mutual. This is maybe exactly what he needs to get himself out of the funk that he has been in since everything blew up with his mother; and if it does turn out to be 'something' then his mother would at least be mollified by the fact that she is a good Jewish girl," said Wes.

"I'd think that his mother would be overjoyed," said a smiling Blaine, "but do you think that she knows about his sideline?" That factor was all that dimmed the happiness of Flint's angelic friends as they watched; the idea that he could be set up for a major disappointment.

"Let's not worry about that just now, Blaine. He looks happy, so does she, and they look good together. Fingers crossed that this is just the beginning of a long and beautiful friendship," said Wes. Then his eyes turned to elsewhere in the room, and saw Ethan and Drew talking with David and Thad. He knew that there, a longstanding friendship was about to be a little less close…

"So, the time has come for us to tell you two guys something that might come as a bit of a shock to some of you at first; but let's all be honest, we are getting older, and friends do sometimes drift apart as they age…" Drew stopped speaking and took in the expression on the faces of his two L.A. based friends; they had grown more and more concerned as he had continued speaking. At his side, he could also see that Ethan's smile had wavered slightly, and he could understand why; he had felt it himself for the last few weeks, ever since Ethan had told him his decision. "As you know, the courses that we were on in England were for three years, and then we had the option to stay on for another year, or more, for further study. Which is what I intend to do at Oxford. I've made a lot of good friends there - and then there is Lucy. I really like - no, love her, and I don't want to lose her; she's the Wes to my Thad, the Mercedes to my David, if you like…"

"Whereas I have accepted a place for a further year of study at Princeton," said Ethan sadly. "Don't get me wrong, I have loved being at Cambridge - the history, the teaching, the atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, England has been great, but the thing is, I don't have as many close friends there and I kind of miss you guys and all of the Warbler drama! I will miss Drew so much - after all, we were like you and Wes, David - best friends before we came to Dalton, but I want to come home. So all of my stuff is on its way here in a container…"

"Whilst mine is at Lucy's flat," said Drew, "because we are going to be moving in together. Although if my parents ask, I am moving in with George Lucy, not Lucy George…"

There was silence for a minute, as David and Thad just looked at each other, then at the two young men sitting before them. In the end, David spoke. "Well, what can we say but that it is the end of an era. One of the epic bromances of our time will be tested by over 3000 miles of ocean, a five hour time difference, and two different sets of commitments."

"It just won't be the same for any of us without Drethan; I mean, we barely survived the loss of Wevid," said Thad, smiling sadly. "But, you have both done the right thing and made choices that suited your own needs. It would have been so easy to say nothing to try and preserve the status quo, but then you would have put the taint of misery on your friendship. So, Ethan, if it is Princeton that you will be going to, then you will be seeing a lot of Beats and Flint, and not in the stripper way." Ethan burst out laughing, and that was the catalyst to make all four of them start.

Once they had calmed down, Drew turned to his friend with a serious face, and said, "So, Ethan, what will you do if they ask you to make the Preppy Boys a trio?"

"It would be a firm, but gentle, no on that score. Speaking of them, they don't even know yet, so I guess that I should talk to them next." He scanned the room; he could not see Beats, but he could see Flint… "Ok, guys, just who is that girl that Flint is flirting with…?"

Those words immediately drew the attention of the other three, and they all turned to look across the room towards Flint, albeit as discretely as possible. It did make them all smile to see Flint with her, even if she was a complete stranger to them all. It did not take Wes long to spy that they were all looking, and he made his way over to them, carefully avoiding guests that could not see him. "Ok, so I take it that you guys have also spotted Mr Wilson and his new lady. Well, let me inform you that she is Rory's sister-in-law, and her name, which had alluded me until now, is Izzy Bernstein. She might even be heading to Princeton to study next year, I believe, for her third year at college. There is hope there for us all that it might even work out long term, because they do seem to be very enamoured with each other…"

"They do, don't they Wessie," said Thad, a grin on his face. "But wait, she is getting up, and walking back over to her sister!"

"Yes, but Flint is still smiling like a cat that has just got the cream, so it can't be bad," said David. "Hang on, she is coming back with a pen, and she is writing something on that bit of paper - because we all left our phones in the cloakroom. Yes, he's got her number!" David said those last words just a little too loudly as there was a sudden lull in the conversation, and suddenly Flint spun his gaze in their direction, and went bright red, as did David. Then they all heard the sound of Izzy laughing, and eventually, that of Flint joining in.

He had to admit that he was mortified by his friend's outburst; not for himself, but for Izzy, but she just laughed it off, and told him that she would speak to him later, after he had been grilled by his friends. She was correct of course - no sooner had she walked away than he found himself being joined by his four friends and three angels. "Ok, yes, I like her! She is nice, she laughs at my lame jokes, but best of all, she knows all about my job, and she doesn't care! In fact, she thinks that it is kind of hot… So, she is going to be up in New York for the next month, and she is single…"

"So ask her out! Take her to see the diner that you own a share in, and buy her dinner, or take her to a show! She likes you, so go for it! If you don't Warbler Wilson, I will feel compelled to hit you hard with Mr Bangy!" said Thad, with such vehemence that all the others chuckled.

"I was going to ask her out for coffee, but yeah, dinner is better. Only, maybe not at the Spotlight, because (a) she might think that I am a bit of a cheapskate that doesn't want to pay too much for a meal; and (b) because I would rather not have half the staff staring at us for the whole night! Chinese food - I wonder is she likes Chinese food?"

"Ask Rory. He can ask her sister, and find out for you - or you could just ask her yourself… Now, changing the subject, where is your partner in crime? I need to talk to the two of you," said Ethan.

"I have no idea, to be honest. I guess that I should go and find him - after all, I have a lot to tell him…"

As Flint headed out into the gardens in search of Beats, the attention of everyone inside was attracted once again by Séamus, who had a smiling Rory at his side. He announced that he and his brother were going to sing a little song for their beloved Nana. The song was _An Irish Lullaby_ , with the words changed just a little to make it more fitting for the situation. None of them had heard Séamus sing before, but his voice was a perfect fit with Rory's; the song brought a tear to their Nana's eye, not to mention the eyes of many others in the room. Some did wonder where their mother was that day, as not everyone was appraised of the full story. Others knew that at that moment, she was somewhere near Seattle, probably cursing the fact that her two sons even existed, after she had flown thousands of miles, having been lead up the garden path by her own mother…

In the gardens, meanwhile, Flint was having difficulty in finding Beats. There were a lot of people out and about, admiring the landscaping, or just soaking up the warmth as the sun broke through the clouds all the more strongly. He smiled as he past Mike and Tina, talking in whispers. Life was finally getting better, he thought. It was such a wonderful day for them all.

Then he rounded a hedge in a much quieter, more secluded part of the garden - and what he saw made him stop dead in his tracks.

There was Beats, his best friend.

There was Beats, with his tongue in Elliot's mouth, in the middle of a heated and passionate kiss….


	44. Flint & Beats Talk it out

**Flint & Beats Talk it out**

Flint stood there for a moment, frozen in shock, as he watched the best friend, that he had always believed to be completely straight, kiss a guy that he knew was at least bisexual. He knew that Beats was not drunk - apart from a glass of champagne for the toasts, the wedding had been teetotal. He also was not struggling to get away, so the kiss had to be consensual - indeed as he watched, it seemed to be Beats that was deepening it. Then Beats looked up, and saw him. In that moment, Flint saw his face change from joy to misery; saw his skin pale and his eyes grow wide. He was pulling away from Elliot… "Flint! Please, I didn't… Let me…"

Before he could say anymore, Flint turned tail and started to run; he had to get away, had to hide and come to terms with the new truth. He obviously didn't know Beats anything like as well as he had thought. All the time that they had spent together, from their Dalton days to being college roommates, Beats had never been honest with him. They had gone out together more than once in search of girls - why had he never mentioned that he liked guys? By the evidence of his own eyes, he had to be bisexual at the very least. Did be not trust him enough to be honest with him about something so personal when he had bared every inch of his soul to him? 'And not just my soul,' he thought, 'he has seen more of my body than any girl ever has.' Not that it bothered him - he wasn't the least bit homophobic. If anything, a nagging doubt in the back of his head was more bothered about that fact that he wasn't the one being kissed… He could not deal with this now; he just had to run and ignore it all for a couple of hours. This was Trent's big day, and he didn't want his own drama to ruin it for him…

In the moment that he saw him standing there, eyes wide open, his jaw slack, his eyes moist and filled with such a look of hurt and betrayal, Beats had been consumed by an immense feeling of guilt. He should have had the necessary conversation with his best friend by now; he had planned to, instead of letting it come to this. He had pulled away from Elliot, stammered out a few words, but then Flint turned and ran. His initial reaction was to just stand and watch, blinking back his own tears as his best friend vanished, but then Elliot spoke.

"Go! Go after him! I am not going to be the cause of you falling out with your best friend. Beats! For goodness sake, snap out of this! Go and talk to him, now, before it is too late!"

Beats knew that Elliot was right, and when he pushed him, he did start to run, desperate to catch up with the person that he would trust with his life. 'But not with the truth about yourself,' said an inner voice. He ran, nearly tripping over his own feet at the first turn, and then as he ran on blindly, nearly slamming straight into Brittany and Santana.

"Watch it, you idiot!" barked Santana; but then she saw his face; his tear stained face. "Beats? Is everything ok?"

"Flint. I need Flint. He ran off - did you see him?"

"He went over there," said Brittany, pointing down a narrow path that lead to a walled section of the grounds. "He was crying too; you need to go and hug him, make it better."

"It might be too late for that, I'm afraid," Beats sobbed.

"It will be unless you go now," said Santana, her voice filled with concern. "Go on, find him - and good luck!" As Beats ran off again, she realised that she had not even asked what had happened to set the two Warblers off in tears. She was getting soft in her old age… She shrugged, and then continued to walk through the garden with Brittany at her side - and then they heard the sound of someone else crying.

"What is going on, Santana?" said Brittany, her face growing concerned. "Why are there so many sad people today, when they should all be happy because Trent and Rory have got married?"

"I don't know," Santana replied. Then they turned the corner and came across Elliot sitting on a low wall, swiping at the tears that were falling down his cheeks. Suddenly Santana guessed what was going on, but at first it just seemed impossible - after all, the two ex-Warblers were straight. Then again, Beats and Elliot were very friendly towards each other when they worked together - Michelle had remarked on it to her. And come to think of it, it had been a long time since it had been Beats and Flint coming to the diner together to work their shifts… She walked over, and sat down at Elliot's side, Brittany sitting on the other, causing the young man to start. "Oh, Elliot, it isn't easy when you find yourself caught between two friends - I am guessing that is why the other two are charging round the grounds in tears?"

"You don't know the half of it," said Elliot. "It's a mess, and I just hope that Beats can sort it, because if he can't, then I will never forgive myself for destroying their friendship." Fresh tears began to flow, and Brittany leaned over and pulled Elliot into a hug. Santana meanwhile was hoping Beats had been successful and had found his best friend…

Beats kept running towards the archway in the high wall that separated the two parts of the formal gardens. His heart was aching in his chest, not through the exertion of running, but for the fact that he was losing hope of finding Flint, and worst still, of him forgiving him. He could hardly see where he was going as his eyes had misted over with his tears, and his breath appeared to be coming in a series of aching sobs. If he had lost him, then it would be the end of his relationship with Elliot. The latter would not want him, and he would chose to be alone for the rest of his life, a constant reminder of the fact that he had betrayed his best friend. He ran through the arch and was about to hurtle on when he had a hunch; a memory from a game of hide and seek that had got rather out of hand amongst the Warblers in his freshman year at Dalton. It had been Flint's idea to 'hide' by the door to that classroom, pressed against the wall… He spun round, and sure enough, slumped by the wall, his feet drawn in in an attempt to make himself as small as possible was Flint. His heart broke all over again as he saw that his friends body was shaking as he continued to sob his heart out. He had done this to him; he had broken his best friend. He had been through so much in the last few months with his mother, and now he had piled on more hurt and pushed him over the edge. Beats took a breath, and then walked over to sit down beside him. He did so in the knowledge that he would accept anything that his friend handed out to him, whether it was with his tongue, or his fists. He deserved everything that he got.

Flint had heard his running feet approaching; part of him had considered getting up and diving into the nearby stand of bushes to avoid the moment when they had to deal with it, whatever 'it' was. He didn't move though; he knew that it was pointless to delay the inevitable; it had to happen, and he owed Beats enough to know that he had to listen to him as he explained what he had just seen. Also, the bushes were thorny… When the steps did stop, he braced himself for the moment. He felt his best friend sit down next to him, not speaking, just catching his breath after an unplanned sprint through the gardens.

"I'm sorry Flint. I am so sorry that you had to find out like this. I should have told you everything a long time ago, but I was scared that if I did, you wouldn't understand, and I would lose you…"

"You wouldn't have! If you are gay, then it doesn't matter to me; as long as you had been honest, I would not have cared…"

"I'm not gay, Flint. Yeah, I was kissing Elliot, and I will want to kiss him again; and maybe more will happen. The thing is, I am not in love with a guy. I am in love with a personality. Elliot is so much fun, and he is full of love, and he makes me laugh. The fact that he is a guy is not the issue for me. I am in love with his soul, not the body he carries it in."

"Ok…but I don't get it. He is a man, Beats."

"If his soul, his spirit was in a woman's body, I would love her."

"So, you aren't gay, you're bi then…"

"If you want to be gender specific, then yeah, I guess I am bi. Myself, I prefer to describe it as being pansexual. I am open to a relationship with any soul that I love. The anatomy of the person involved is not an issue for me."

"I still don't get it, but I guess I am prepared to find out more, because you are my best friend - or at least, I thought that you were…"

"I am Flint! You're mine!"

"Then why didn't you tell me? Why did I have to find this out by accident? If I hadn't caught you, would you even be telling me now?"

"Probably not. The fact is that I have wanted to tell you this so many times. I nearly did when we were in Antarctica, but then Kurt and Blaine died, and you were so fragile; then there was the trial. I tried to summon up the courage all of last summer, and I had made up my mind to sit you down and tell you after Niff's wedding…"

"Then Wes died."

"Exactly; not a good time. Then the way that you reacted to my new job at first…"

"…meant it wasn't the best time to tell me again."

"But we got through all of that, and I resolved that once school was over for the year, I would do it - but then came Auntgate…"

"And you didn't want to burden me when I was a complete mess."

"Exactly; but I should have done, I should have said something, because of what was happening with Elliot. The attraction had started by the end of April, for me at least. We started to hang out together at work a lot."

"Of course. I get it now. All those times that I went to the diner on my own because you were tired, or had something on, he was always on a day off; he probably passed me on the train."

"He did, and I know that I should have said something before it even got to that. I am so sorry…"

Flint sighed, and turned to look at his best friend for the first time since he had arrived. When he saw what a mess he looked; his hair sticking up at all angles through the fingers that he had locked in it, his skin pale, his eyes red and raw from the tears that still were coursing down his cheeks, his heart ached. "We don't learn, do we? This is like you becoming the Preppy Boy. You didn't tell me, and we ended up in this sort of situation then - and my initial reaction then was the same as now. So, let's stop all of this here and now. You should have told me, but I totally get why you didn't. You were trying to protect me from any more stress; didn't want to hurt me; and you were scared that I might not like what I was going to hear, and that you would lose me. I'm right, aren't I?"

Beats looked right up at him, and said quietly "Pretty much, but it is no excuse…"

"No, it isn't, but what is done is done. I've had my freak out now, and though I am not sure that I completely get the whole concept behind pansexuality, I am not going to reject you just because you like girls, guys and every shade in-between. You are my best friend, and you have always been there for me when my life is full of crisis. I would never have been able to deal with my mom if you hadn't been there to take my hand…."

"You wouldn't have had to deal with her at all if you hadn't decided to become a stripper to protect me…"

"True - but like I have told you, I like what we do. I like the fact that you and me can together reduce a room full of people into a braying crowd. I am not ashamed of it, and if it made my mom realise that she need to back off, then so much the better! I am always going to be around, Beats, so lets make a deal here and now - No more secrets! No more trying to protect me from things. Just tell me the truth in future, ok? Starting now."

Beats nodded, and looked straight into Flint's eyes again. Flint smiled back, and held out his arms; Beats dived right into them, and the two of them both held onto the other in a tight hug. More tears were shed, but this time they were happy ones; eventually, as they tears began to stop, they pulled apart again. Beats opened his mouth to speak, but Flint put a finger to his lips. "No more apologies, ok? No need for them. Tell me all about you and Elliot…"

"Remember the day that we all decided to give him the duty manager's job at the diner? That was the day that all of it started if I am being honest. He was crying, and I hugged him - and something just felt so right… We got to chatting a lot more after that, and then, on Memorial Day weekend, we were on our own in the diner; he was lamenting the state of his love life, and I started to join in, and suddenly I was telling him that I was pansexual, and he thought that was so cool… We started to meet up away from work shortly after that, just to talk, but gradually, over time, it started to turn into something more for both of us."

"I take it that you stayed with him on the night that you told me you had missed the last train back to Princeton?"

"We had been talking so long that night that we both lost track of time, and Elliot asked me to stay. And I said yes without a moment's hesitation. We shared a bed, but that was all; it was very chaste. The next morning I realised that I could easily have got the last bus back, if I had wanted to. It made me certain about him… Today was actually the first time that we kissed…"

"And I blundered along and ruined the moment! I am going to have to apologise to Elliot. I am pleased for you, Beats. I have always wanted you to be happy, and if he is the one that will make you happy, then I am all for it. The ironic thing is that it seems that love may be in the air for both of us today, not just you…"

"Really? Tell me more, Mr Wilson…"

"I was looking for you in the garden for two reasons; firstly, Ethan wants to talk to us both about something important; and secondly, I have a date. With a girl…"

"Well, I kind of guessed it would be with a girl. I have always known that you were 100% straight. If you hadn't been, if there had been the tiniest doubt, then Elliot would not have stood a chance!"

Flint blushed, then said "I will take that as a compliment! So, the girl is Rory's new sister-in-law. Her name is Izzy; she is transferring to Princeton next year; she wants to go out with me; and the best of it is, she knows what we do to make money, and she has no problem with it whatsoever…"

"That's great!" said Beats, with a big smile. "I am so pleased for you. Also, if she is Rory's sister-in-law, that will mean…"

"That she is the nice Jewish girl of my mom's dreams! If it works out, of course. I mean, she might decide she doesn't like me when I tell her that I come with a best friend…"

Beats couldn't help but chuckle at that statement. "I think that I will be the least of her worries my friend. You also come with a band of, at times, maddening bird brothers, and the mother from…"

"Don't! She is bad, but if it tell her the whole truth about my mom now, then I will probably never see her again. As for the guys, she will just have to accept them, or the whole deal will be off! I am sure that she will have a wide circle of friends too that I will have to accept, just as I will have to accept that Elliot is going to be a big factor in our lives. Whatever happens, just know this. I will always have a place for you in my heart, because without you, my life would be so dull. You always brought out the more adventurous side of Flint Wilson."

"Same is true for me. Best friends forever."

"For all eternity, as you know… Right, we need to get back to the reception before they send out search parties. We need to find Elliot, so that I can make peace and welcome him as your boyfriend. I need to introduce you to Izzy, and let her know that you will always be a big factor in my future. And then we need to find out what Ethan wants to tell us!" He got to his feet, dusting his trousers off as he did so. He then stretched out a hand to Beats, and helped him up. "We also need to find a restroom so that we can wash our faces, and straighten up your hair, unless you want a lot of awkward questions about where we were and what we were doing…"

"Yeah… Look I'm glad you know about me, but can we keep it between you, me and Elliot for now? This is Trent's big day, and I don't want revelations about my private life to take all the attention away from him on his big day. I will tell them all, but not today."

"No problem. Whenever you are ready; and when you are, I will be right behind you."

They walked back towards the club, the sun now fading slightly as the clouds thickened once more. The gardens were more or less empty now, apart from one lone figure sitting on a bench between the French windows and the main entrance door. They headed in that direction, and as they approached, Elliot looked up, his own face marked with tears. He smiled weakly as he saw them, and stood up. "You two sorted out - friendship back on track?" he asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes, everything is sorted," said Flint, "apart from two things. One, I have to say sorry to you for how I reacted. It was a shock, but it does not excuse what I did."

"It was understandable. We should both have been more honest."

"Secondly, if you ever hurt him, then I will set my mother on you, Mr Gilbert!"

"That is quite a threat," said Beats with a grin. "I mean, she would probably nag you to death." He stepped quickly out of the way of Flint's swatting hand.

"So, you are ok with it, Flint? Me and Beats being together?"

"If he is happy, then I am happy; plus you will be good company for him now that I might be at serious risk of having a girlfriend myself." Elliot looked at him curiously, but said nothing. "So, we head in by the main door, tidy ourselves up and head back into the reception."

"Good plan. I did hear a rumour about there being singing on the cards," said Beats. His two friends nodded, and he placed an arm around each of their shoulders, as they walked back inside.


	45. It has to be Love

**It has to be Love**

By the time the three of them got back into the room, the dessert tables were gone, and there was singing going on. Rachel and Sam were singing a duet, and most people had their attention directed towards them. Santana looked over though, and smiled as she saw the three of them returning as a group, all of them smiling. She gave them a thumbs up, and that gesture made Flint turn to the other two.

"I might have run into her as I tried to find you, literally," confessed Beats sheepishly.

"She came across me crying, her and Brittany," said Elliot.

"Oh well, one less person to tell if she has already figured it out," said Flint with a laugh. They found seats close to where Ethan and Drew were sitting with David and Thad. The latter gave them a 'Where the heck have you been?' look, not unlike the one that Wes used to have when someone arrived late for Warbler rehearsal. Then his attention was turned back to the dais, where Mitch was now standing up and looking right at him and Beats.

"Ok, better late than never; it is now time for that all important tradition of weddings; the first dance!"

With that the two grooms got to their feet and headed out onto the empty floor, also staring right at them. Beats and Flint looked at each other for a moment, and then it suddenly hit them. The reason why the first dance was so late was because they had an important part to play in the singing of the song… They jumped out of their seats and ran at full tilt across the floor, ignoring the laughter of half the room, and jumped up onto the dais, where an impatient Sebastian was frowning at them, whilst pointing at his watch and shaking his head. Looking out at the room, they saw most people were smiling, and Trent and Rory were both laughing loudly. Gradually, the noise died down, and the two grooms turned to smile at each other. It was time to finally show off something they had been planning for weeks…

With Beats and Flint finally in position, the music started up. As it did so, the notes did not seem familiar to anyone, apart from one of the best men. Séamus recognised them at once; his eyes went wide, and he let out an involuntary sigh of "Oh, no. Please tell me it isn't!" before he could stop himself. Burt and Carole, sitting on his right, both looked at him curiously, and he quickly said "Rory played this, countless times a day for an entire summer, when he was thirteen. It drove mum and dad mad; drove me to distraction too for that matter."

"He did," said a voice to his left, and he turned to see Mrs Flynn smile. "I can remember it as well now. It's a catchy enough tune, but it just went on for far too long…"

Suddenly they heard a snort of laughter, and they all turned to face front again, as the two grooms started to dance in a series of Bollywood moves inspired by the Indian music that was now playing, moving in time with each other perfectly, matching each other step for step. "Oh, Lord!" said Séamus. "That's his dance! Someone had tidied it up a bit, but that is his dance…" He smiled broadly, and shook his head, as on his immediate left his wife, Becca, tried to stifle the laughter that wanted to come out.

Finally, Sebastian burst into song. He had to admit that when Rory had first played the tune to him and the Warblers over Skype on one of their group chats, he had never heard it or of the band. It had however stuck in his head, and he had found himself singing the words quietly as he had been making a batch of cookies one afternoon in the middle of June. It was a bizarre choice of song for a first dance in his opinion, but it had a good tune, a beat, and was darn catchy. In the end, he had volunteered himself to sing it for them, rather than just have it played. He had needed back up of course, and he had surprised everyone by asking Beats and Flint to do it. His reasoning was simple - Nick and Jeff would want to dance, especially as Rory had shown Mike how he used to dance to it, and he had begun to choreograph something; that meant that both of his erstwhile roommates would know the steps too. As he sung those first words - _"_ _There_ _'_ _s dancing, behind movie scenes, behind those movie scenes_ _"_ \- he had to admit that _Brimful of Asha_ by Cornershop was fast becoming one of his all time favourite guilty pleasure songs. He belted out the words, as the floor began to slowly fill with people aping the grooms moves; first Mike, Tina, and as he had surmised, Niff; Brittany and Santana were not far behind. Then the rest of the younger people jumped up, all of them finding the steps simple and easy to copy. Sebastian watched with a smile as Séamus was dragged onto the dance floor by Becca. What made him smile the most though was the fact that there, in the centre of the throng, were two very good friends of his, newlyweds, who only had eyes for each other.

Afterwards, when Sebastian had taken his applause, and a big hug from the two grooms, and people had in the main made their way back to their seats, very few of them still having enough energy to dance to the much slower music that was now playing, Beats and Flint finally got their opportunity to talk to Ethan and Drew. They greeted the news that Ethan was going to be joining them at Princeton next year with a mixture of sadness and joy. It was terrible to see one of the other great friendships of their group separate after so many years, but at the same time, the fact that Ethan was going to be around did make them happy. When he said that he still had to sort out a place to live, both Beats and Flint turned to look at each other. They did like the little place that they had now, but they had reached a point where their lease was due for renewal, and with a little more money, they could look for a little three bed place closer to both the campus and their workplace. They broached the idea, and Ethan had to agree that the idea of sharing with the two of them did have a certain appeal, as long as they weren't practicing their routine every night.

"No, not every night," quipped Beats, "just Mondays and Thursdays…"

Ethan wasn't entirely sure if he was being serious or not with that statement, as Flint looked so very earnest too. "As long as you do it quietly," he replied deadpan; and then all three of them burst out laughing, joined in it by Thad, sitting at their side, David now dancing with Mercedes.

"Plus you will need to be happy with the fact that my girlfriend will probably be coming over," said Flint - and that statement got the immediate attention of Ethan, Thad and Drew.

"Did you say girlfriend?" said Thad, happily - then his face fell, and he gasped out "Please tell me it isn't the daughter of one of your mother's friends…"

"No, it isn't, thankfully," said Flint with a shy smile. "It's still very early days, but I am hopeful. I think that I might just have had my moment, as Blaine did with Kurt, and Nick did with Jeff. I think that I might just have found my soulmate."

At that moment the lady in question approached their spot, and Flint promptly got up and went to meet her. The four other Warblers all looked straight at them, and couldn't help but smile as Flint's cheeks began to redden as she took his hand, and allowed herself to be guided over to them. "So guys, this is Izzy, Becca's sister, who is coming to Princeton next year." All of them, with the exception of Beats, were aware of this already, but they said nothing about it. "This is Ethan, Drew, Thad, and last, but by no means least, my wingman…"

"…and fellow Preppy Boy," said Izzy, who started to giggle as Beats went bright red.

"Yeah," said Flint, "this is Beats. His real name is Nathaniel, but you have to have known him for a very long time before he will allow you to call him that. He is a talented beatboxer as well as a stripper, and he is my best friend; my brother."

"So if I decide that I want to date you, Mr Wilson, I get him thrown in for free?"

"We are kind of a package deal. You get me, him, and all of these guys in fact. If I was you, I would consider starting to run about now…"

"I think that you're worth the risk… I just came over as I wanted to know if you were available on Wednesday; I am going to be up in New York to visit a school friend, and I have the day free in the city."

"I could take you out for dinner, I guess. Show you the world that is the Spotlight Diner - if you like the idea that is. I mean, we can go somewhere else if you would rather…"

"I would actually love to visit the Spotlight with you. I have heard so much about it from Rory and Trent. And I am not going to think you are cheap and only taking me there because you part own the place, and get food cheap. I know you don't. Call me later, and we can fix up a time, ok?"

"Yeah, I will… Look, would you like to dance with me. I am a bit rusty at anything over than stripper moves, but Dalton did teach us a few basic steps."

"It would be my pleasure," she replied. As Flint stood up and lead her out onto the floor, she turned back and said, "See you all later, boys." They all nodded in agreement as the two of them began to slow dance with the others already on the floor.

They had been there for less than a minute, dancing next to David and Mercedes, when the four at the table were joined by Nick, Jeff and Sebastian, with a reluctant Dave in tow. Beats smiled, and announced to them "Her name is Izzy, she is Rory's sister-in-law, and she has a date with Flint on Wednesday; it would appear that our Mr Wilson is finally in love, and I for one am extremely happy for him; even better if it lasts, and I have a sneaky feeling that it just might, because she knew everything about me and him, and it didn't phase her one bit!"

"I am pleased for him," said Nick, "He needs someone to love him in more than a bromantic way. I mean that in the kindest sense, Beats."

"No offence taken Nick. If truth be told, it might well be my turn to make a similar announcement soon… Love is pretty wonderful, but then again, the four of you already know that, being our old married couple and the next in line to get married…"

"Who says that Dave and I will be next? We favour a long engagement," said Sebastian, Dave nodding in agreement at his side. "Do not forget, Beats, that we also have an honorary Warbler that is engaged; Santana might well be the next to get married."

"Whoever it is," said Thad, "I will be very happy for them. I think that being in love is a source of great joy, even if the person that you love isn't around. Seeing other people in love can make you every bit as happy too." Thad smiled as Jeff placed a hand on his, knowing that the blond boy got the loneliness that he sometimes felt. After all, he had been in love with someone that was there, but not there, for a very long time back at Dalton.

On the floor, Flint could feel all the eyes in the room, at least those of the Warblers, upon him, but he didn't really care. He only had eyes for the young woman in front of him, who was now moving in complete rhythm with him. He had never really enjoyed the sessions at Dalton when the Crawford girls came over, and they had to dance; he had trodden on a lot of toes in the process. With Izzy, he didn't; the two of them just gelled. He was having fun, and she was too. The rest of the world had ceased to exist, if only for a few minutes. He didn't even notice David smiling at him as he danced past with Mercedes, who was every bit as pleased, knowing that Flint had not had his troubles to seek over the last few months. "I have a feeling that those two might be like us - soulmates," she whispered in David's ear.

"I hope so," he replied. "He deserves a bit of happiness. I would just love to see his mother's face when he tells her. She will be happy for him too, I hope." Mercedes could only hope that it would be the case too.

From the corner of the room, a group of angels stood and observed the floor, with the newly married couple at their side. Not that there was much in the way of conversation to be had with them - they only had eyes for each other. Wes was happy just to watch as his best friend David danced with the woman that he loved above all others, and next to him, Flint smiled more warmly than he had seen him do since Nick and Jeff's wedding. He glanced over at Thad, and his heart fell just a little, as he wished that he could be out on the floor dancing with him too. Had it been just the New Directions and the Warblers here he could have done, but there were too many people that could not see him here for that to be a viable option. Thad would look silly to them all, dancing around the floor on his own; later, even if it was in the confines of his hotel room, he could waltz with him then as the others were doing. Then it hit him; dusk was falling, and the gardens were empty - he could take him out there, away from the brightest lights, and find a spot where they could dance together to the faint noise of the music coming from the reception room. By his side, Finn was also watching, and Wes could sense that he too was seeing a different world, where he and Rachel were on the floor, with no Sam around. They both envied Kurt and Blaine for the fact that they were still together from time to time, but they accepted their lot. Wes also knew that his lot was a lot easier than Finn's; he still had Thad, but Finn did not enjoy that luxury.

Eventually, Flint left the dance floor - Puck's moves were quite something and he felt a lot less competent, not to mention just a little drained by all of the day's drama. So he guided Izzy off the floor, and introduced her formally to David and Mercedes; Sebastian and Dave; and of course, Nick and Jeff, whom she greeted with the words "So you are the infamous Niff!" Flint had chuckled at the look on their faces, and realised that either Trent or Rory would have to explain themselves later. As it happened, she had been told by Séamus, and all that she knew was based on his experience with them on one night in Edinburgh last year.

As he stood by Izzy's side, Flint felt a strange sense of pride in the fact that such an attractive young lady was so happy in his company, so when Nick asked if he could take a photo of the two of them, he agreed without hesitation. He put his arm around her, and she leant against him; then with a click the picture was taken. When he was shown it, he saw that he was grinning from ear to ear. Nick promised to forward it to him, and he did, which meant that he could post it on Facebook that night before he went to sleep. If when he returned to Princeton he printed off a copy of the image and carefully placed it in his wallet, then that was perfectly ok, and only to be expected. He was after all head over heels in love with Izzy Bernstein, and he was pretty certain that the feeling was mutual.

After he had taken Izzy back over to her family, Flint returned to sit with Beats and Elliot. He had been slightly nervous as he had done so, fearing that her family might not think that he was good enough for their daughter. However, both her parents had been extremely welcoming, asking him all about his college course, what interests he had and about his family. He answered more or less honestly; he did not mention that he and his mother had barely spoken to each other since May, nor did he mention his job at the bar, concentrating instead on the fact that he had shares in a successful New York diner. They were interested in that naturally, although they already knew about the fact that Trent and Rory had a share.

At the end of the conversation, he found himself shaking hands with both of her parents - but was left startled when Mr Bernstein said "At least you kept your clothes on tonight!" to him. His face must have fallen, because he promptly continued, "I am a man of the world, Flint. We all need to earn money to survive, and to do that, you do what you have to do. I am reassured that you are chaste, which means it isn't an issue for me. I always wanted my daughters to marry men that were not afraid of hard work; Séamus isn't, and you obviously aren't either. Yes, I like you Flint. From what Rory says, you are also very loyal to your friends, another quality that I admire. Yes, I hope that we see more of you."

Flint thanked him, and then made his way back over to his friends. As he sat down by Beats, smiling at the fact that underneath the table he was holding tightly to Elliot's hand, he announced, "I have been judged worthy! Her dad knows everything too, and he still approves of me. Yes, I think that she just might be my Jeff, if I was her Nick." Beside him, Beats could only grin; he was starting to think much the same about the man on his other side.

By now it was getting late, and people were starting to leave for home - it was, after all, a reasonable drive back to Washington DC, where the majority of them were staying. Rory and Trent had already bid farewell to his Nana and her two travelling companions; Burt and Carole had joined them. Trent's family had also headed for home, but not before they reminded him that he was expected for a late lunch the following day. Then it was the turn of Séamus and Becca to depart, her family heading away with them. They did have an early flight to catch the following morning; her family had booked them a few days in St Lucia as a surprise honeymoon. The two brothers had embraced each other tightly, both promising that they would talk on the phone sometime on Monday. If Séamus was actually being honest, he was not that keen on going away, as it meant he would miss time with his grandmother. She had sagely pointed out to him that he was only going to be away until Thursday, and that the return flight had been booked to New York, which was where she would be by that point. That still left them three days; he was to go and spend alone time with his beautiful wife. When he heard her say that, Rory couldn't help but think that she was after a great-grandchild sooner rather than later. At the same time, Izzy and Flint were also saying their farewells, at least until their date in Manhattan on Wednesday. When she left, Beats couldn't help but notice that Flint's smile faded a little; it was obvious to him that it really was love between the two of them. He began to plan from that moment on for the day that he stood at his best friend's side as he married that girl. It would be his delight and honour to be his best man.

The cars back to the city for the others had been planned with military precision by Rory - but they ended up being supervised, as was fast becoming usual, by Puck. Not that his task had been made easy by the addition of last minute guests - one car had to be diverted to Virginia to take home the O'Hara clan, Luke and Duncan having opted to stay there rather than return to their hotel room. Duncan wanted to spend as long as possible with Tommy and his grandfather before he had to head back to his new home in Brooklyn, and Luke could not argue against that. They had spent their evening dancing away, almost in a competition with Colin and Edward, much to the amusement of Seth and Skylar. The six of them were the youngest people there, so they had bonded as a group. The quick closeness between them was evidenced in the fact that having listened to Seth complain about the difficulty of finding good and reasonably priced accommodation close to Colombia University for a while, Luke had turned to Duncan, and after he had nodded, proceeded to offer the spare room in their flat to Seth, if he wanted it. It would be the best solution after all - it was close to the subway; he knew his roommates, and he would have the benefit of other friends living just a few blocks away. It had been settled there and then, and a move in date agreed for the following week.

This was much to the amusement of Nick and Jeff when they found out later. "I don't suppose the landlady will mind," said Jeff quietly to his husband. "After all, Seth was always well behaved and tidy."

"The question is, does Seth know what he has let himself in for?" Nick replied. "Those two can be quite a handful. Plus, why is it that I feel we have just acquired ourselves another teenager to watch out for?"

Jeff laughed, and replied, "Because we have, my love. At least Seth should be no trouble…"

Eventually, when the last of the guests had finally gone - there had been a delay to the second last car as no-one could find Thad; a search by David and Mercedes had found him dancing a Viennese waltz in a quiet spot of the walled garden with Wes, the two of them laughing quietly as they stared into each other's eyes, dancing to the music that was playing solely in their heads - Trent and Rory finally found time to sit down on a seat on the stoop of the clubhouse, side by side, their hands entwined. The skies had cleared and the moon shone brightly, its pale light illuminating the grounds and glinting off the two new metal bands on their ring fingers. "It's been the best day, full of little surprises, all of them good," said Rory, as he leant his head on Trent's shoulder. "Even if one of those surprises was discovering that I had actually been called Rory Flanagan Flanagan for the last five days…"

"It was the best way for you to keep your name, Mr Nixon," said Trent.

"Yes, but only my true love would have done something like that for me… I am so lucky to have you as a husband, Trent Flanagan Nixon."

"No, Rory, I am the lucky one," said Trent, and before his husband could reply, he captured his lips in a kiss.


	46. A Few Surprises

**A Few Surprises...**

The newlyweds were woken early the following morning by a phone call from Burt. He apologised first for the early hour, and then informed Rory that his parents had been arrested in Washington state. Rory was appalled that things had gone so far. He knew that his Nana had sent them to the wrong place, and he was glad that it meant that his big day had not been ruined, but the last thing that he had wanted was for them to be arrested. "What did they do that they ended up being arrested? I can understand that they might have been angry at our little ruse to get them out of the way, but how did it end up getting that far?"

"It seems that when they arrived in Bristol, they discovered that there was no wedding taking place in the club, but then they noticed the decorated car outside the town hall next door. Rather than ascertaining that the wedding in progress was actually the one they assumed, they stormed in, and your mother demanded, and here I quote, 'this abomination in the sight of the Lord must be halted at once; that heathen jezebel will marry my good Christian son over my dead body!' Which was rather unfortunate as the wedding in progress was that of the adopted son of the local sheriff to the daughter of the local pastor… Obviously, that statement created a bit of a stir…" said Burt.

Rory groaned, and said "I can imagine that it would have…"

"Of course, she did eventually realise that it wasn't your brother getting married; it was pointed out to them that they were in the wrong Washington. All she was asked to do was to apologise for the distress that she had caused. Instead, she announced that the happy couple would be doomed anyway as they were getting married in a degenerate nation like the USA, that was spreading its filth and corrupting good Christian nations like Ireland. That was when they tried to remove her by force, and she punched a deputy sheriff. After that, the details are hazy, but as a consequence of the ensuing melee, they both ended up in the local jail for the rest of the day. They did try and contact me, as my name was the only one that your father had, but as my phone was off at your wedding, and I didn't check it until I woke up this morning, they are still there now."

"What is going to happen now? Will they be charged formally?"

"I pulled a few strings and I have managed to get them a deal. They will not be charged, but they will be put on the next flight back to Ireland, under escort. I requested that they be sent via Toronto, which suited the authorities. Their ESTAs have been cancelled, and their names entered onto the system, which means that they will not be allowed into the US anytime soon, if ever again. I mean, assaulting a police officer is a serious crime…"

"I am so sorry that this happened Burt, and that you've been caught up in it. If I had known what was going on earlier…"

"Rory, son, don't worry. I'm actually glad that they didn't turn up here yesterday. We all had a fantastic day, and I got to see my newest son marry the boy he loves in peace; that is all that matters to me. Your happiness."

When Burt rang off, Rory turned to Trent who had been listening. "My mother punched a cop! If that gets out in Clane, she will not be able to look anyone in the eye ever again. It will destroy her. She might be a cold, heartless, vindictive so and so, but she doesn't deserve to lose her place in town for this."

"I'm sure we can convince your Nana and Mrs Flynn to say nothing, if they find out. I am guessing that Burt won't tell them, so we keep it between ourselves and Séamus."

"Oh Lord! I will need to tell Séamus..."

"That can wait until later my darling. He will either be at the airport or on his flight to his honeymoon. You can tell him when you Skype him..."

"Your right. So, we keep it as our secret."

"Yeah. So, now that we are awake, do you want to get up or stay here in bed with me?"

"Tough choice, husband."

"I like being called that; it seems so right…"

"It does, and so does staying here for another couple of hours…at least…"

They did leave the bedroom eventually; they felt that they had to when Thad called up and suggested a Warbler brunch at an establishment that came highly recommended in all the online reviews. It seemed churlish to ignore the suggestion once he had pointed out that it might be a while before they were all together again, and that they had missed some important news the night before. So they washed and dress, curious as to what the news was they were going to hear, at least in the case of Rory; Trent had more than an inkling. They made their way to the restaurant, to find all the others already gathered at one long table, chatting happily. When they were noticed, they were greeted with a round of applause, and then they found themselves seated together between Flint on Rory's side (as Thad had put it, they might end up being brothers-in-law) and Ethan by Trent's side. As Trent had guessed, it was Ethan and Drew that had the announcement to make, and he put on his best show of shock. Even now, the idea of Drew being on his own in England did make him sad. Drew was stoic about it though and just pointed out that "You will all just have to come and visit me more often. I'm sure that I can find you a bed with a bit of notice. Plus, I want all of you to meet my girlfriend Lucy - because one day, I hope that she will be my wife…."

As they neared the end of their meal, Mitch stood up, and tapped his knife on the side of his glass to attract their attention. Silence fell at once, even without the use of Mr Bangy for once. "Gentlemen; I know that this is unconventional to say the least in Warbler circles - that I should stand here, without holding a gavel and command your undivided attention."

"I always had you pegged as a bit of a rebel, Mitch," interrupted Beats, with a wink.

"Says the stripper," retorted Mitch, getting a laugh. "I stand here today to tell you that I feel blessed and indeed lucky, to be part of all of this once more. I deserted my brothers in the face of external pressure. I should not have bowed down to those forces, and my greatest regret is that I was not able to make amends before the death of our illustrious leader; that I missed my chance to speak to Blaine and Kurt before they were stolen from us by the actions of one of our own. That I have been accepted back into the fold makes me so very happy; and the fact that my little Trent was able to ask me to be his best man, well I am just so thankful… Anyway, before I make a complete fool of myself by starting to cry, I ask you to raise your glasses in a toast to Trent and Rory; may they have a long and happy life together with no troubles; growing in love and happiness until they at long last join Wes in heaven." Everyone raised their juice glass or coffee cup and drank. "And whilst I am here, let us also drink towards the next Warbler wedding, whoever it may be - may it be as perfect as yesterday!"

"I don't know if yesterday was perfect - I mean, based on the last two we usually get a proposal, and no-one did that this time," said Wes, emerging into sight from the corner of the room. His appearance was greeted with smiles and laughter at the truth of his statement - and then, too late, they remembered…

Almost as one they turned their heads to look at Mitch, and saw him staring at them all with wide eyes. "You all laughed at it… I thought that I was going mad, hearing his voice, but you all laughed… You all heard Wes too, didn't you? How?"

The others around the table all stopped, and looked at each other, waiting for someone to speak up. There was a sigh, and David began to speak. "We've all been hearing him since he died. In fact, we can all still see him. He is standing right behind Thad just now, looking a bit sheepish - I guess that he forgot that someone in the room wasn't supposed to be able to hear or see him. The fact that you can hear him, if not see him yet, is a good sign… Maybe, who knows, you will be able to hear Blaine and Kurt too…"

"Ok, I guess that you would be able to hear - and see - them too… Wait, Wes said the last two weddings, but there was only Niff's before this…did Klaine get married too?"

"Yes, that was on the day some of us started to see and hear them for the first time," said Jeff with a smile. "Nick proposed to me afterwards. When Wessie died, we all saw him again within a couple of days. I think that if you believe in them, that they are angels now, then in time, you will see them too…"

"Until then, you will have to be content with sound only, Mitch," said Wes, moving to stand next to the young man, who was starting to tear up.

"Oh, Wes! Even just to be able to hear you again is wonderful! Is it just me, or would other people who believed in you, like Gabriel, Connor and Louis be able to hear you too? I know that they at least would love it…."

"I don't honestly know, Mitch. Let's just concentrate for now on getting you fully on board; get you to believe in me enough, and see if that makes me visible to you, and then we can work on bringing in the others…"

When the Warblers finally left the restaurant to head their separate ways, it was after both Blaine and Kurt had arrived, just to see if Mitch could hear them; when he realised that he could, purely because he wanted to so much, he started to cry, and in the end Trent had to pull him into a deep hug, and hold him in an attempt to stop his tears. The three angels had left first, and Mitch had the same moment of clarity that Beats and Flint had in the loft in Manhattan just before Nick and Jeff got married - he realised that all the little draughts he had felt had been wing caused. He had to return to his life in Boston that day - he had work the following morning, but he promised them all that he would visit more often; make the trip to New York and visit the Spotlight. He wanted to be fully immersed in Warbler life again. "That can be arranged," said Thad with a grin. "Of course, for that to happen, you will have to pose for Jeff like we all did, even Wes…" Mitch could not for the life of him understand why that statement was greeted with such ribald laughter, and why the young man in question had turned scarlet…

Then, one by one, they all took their leave. Flint and Beats, despite being the closest to Washington left first, as they had a show to perform that night, to compensate their public for the fact that they had been absent from their usual Friday and Saturday night performances. No-one batted an eyelid at that now, and Flint was grateful to his aunt for forcing the truth to come out, he supposed; he had been able to tell his Warbler brothers without fear. They had been there for him, helping him through the dark moments. They had also all formulated ideas about how he could approach his mother and try to make things right with her once more. Now of course, there was a new angle - the fact that he just might have a girlfriend. It was a little too early yet to take her to Kansas, but her existence would make his mother sit up and take notice, when she found out. Thad and David had approached him together, and suggested that he tell his dad about Izzy, if he was serious about her, as the information would be guaranteed to reach the ears of his mother, and her natural curiosity would bring her back to him. That was for later; he had other things to concentrate on first, like his first date, and the news from Beats. To that end, he asked him casually if Elliot had headed back to New York yet - and if he hadn't, then he could invite him to come and spend the night with them in Princeton, even bring him to see the show. Beats had said nothing at first, but then had pulled Flint into a tight hug, before grabbing his phone to call the young man in question.

The next to go were the boys that were heading back to Ohio. They had travelled down in the one big car for convenience, and now they were headed back in the same way. Ethan volunteered to drive again, as he needed more practice at being on the right hand side of the road again; there was no disagreement, and soon he and Drew left with Jasper, Brad, Colin, Edward and Skylar. Seth was not heading back with them; he had family in North Carolina, so he was heading down to visit them instead. He left to catch his bus at about the same time as his friends, with Luke's phone number safely stored away in his own, so that he could call him up later, and discuss the best date to move in with him and Duncan. They were lingering in the city for a few days, as Duncan wanted to get to know his new cousin Rory a bit better, and his parents were also on their way down. His mother had decided that she wanted to meet her aunt sooner than had originally been planned, and Rory's Nana was only too happy to agree, as she was equally keen to meet her niece. It was no issue, as they were not due to head to New York until Tuesday in any case.

Shortly after the group of boys bound for Ohio left, David and Thad headed to the airport, and their flight back to L.A. Mercedes had a small concert to give the following night, and David wanted to be there at her side. He alone of all of them knew just how important the gig in question actually was; Mercedes had taken him into her confidence, and just as she had said nothing to her fellow New Directions, he had not even told Thad just what a big deal it actually was; that all being well, she would soon be on her way to becoming even more of a star than she already was…

Finally, the New York contingent left for Union Station; Trent and Rory went with them as it was more or less on their way to their lunch date with the Nixon family. After that, even although the O'Hara's would be arriving, Rory had been told to go home by his Nana, so that he and Trent could concentrate on being husbands for a night after the busyness of the last few days. He had not argued, and neither had Trent. They parted from their friends on the concourse - one married couple and one engaged one. How long the latter would end up staying that way was anyone's guess. Sebastian was saying nothing, and nor was Dave. They had talked about it themselves in private, and both of them favoured a long engagement; they could marry once college was done for both of them, content until then just to be together, and to be betrothed. As they waited in line to board the train, Sebastian pulled out his phone and checked his messages; he smiled at the one that he had received from François, demanding that he hurry back to New York and save him from the clutches of Santana - the others heading back to New York had left three hours earlier, as Cooper and Rachel both had afternoon shows to make. He ignored his old friend's threat to tell Santana his darkest secrets - he knew that he would never do that. He scrolled on down through the texts, and then one caught his eye; a text from Julian…

It was still early in the evening when they arrived back at Penn Station, and Nick suggested that they all went to the diner for a light supper. Dave agreed, but then Sebastian declined; he told Nick that he was starting to get a headache, and that it would be best if he went home. He asked that Nick and Jeff rescue François from Santana, which they agreed to do. Dave of course insisted on accompanying him back home. As they headed towards the entrance to the subway, Jeff turned to his husband, and whispered "I don't believe a single word of that. When has Sebastian ever let a headache stop him? No, I think he wanted to talk to Dave in private, and urgently. He has been a little agitated since we got on the train." Nick thought about it, and realised that Jeff might well be on to something.

It was an excuse, of course. He did need to talk to Dave in private, and he knew that if they went to the diner, they would get caught up in all the usual chatter, and before he knew it, it would be almost midnight. He also needed a break from them, having been in the company of all of his friends for four days non-stop. He needed to ask his fiancé a big favour, whose concern about his ill health did make him feel a little guilty about telling the lie in the first place. He refused the taxi that Dave suggested, saying that a walk in the fresh air might help to clear the pain in his head. They started to walk along 34th Street, but as they came to the point opposite Macy's, a bus appeared, and Dave insisted that they board it, on the grounds that the air next to the traffic filled street was hardly fresh. It did get them back home that much quicker, Sebastian had to admit, and in no time at all they were descending the steps to their little apartment, where they would be alone until François arrived back later.

Almost as soon as they walked in, Dave turned to Sebastian and said "Ok, what is going on? I saw a look on Jeff's face before we left them which pretty much said he thought you were lying; I also noticed that you only turned quiet after you had been checking your messages. So, I am siding with Jeff, and guessing that you do not have a headache…"

"Guilty as charged, I'm afraid. I just needed a chance to talk to you in private. If we had gone to the diner with Niff, we might have been there for hours, and if not, then we would have had François with us when we got back. So it is about my messages. There was one from Julian, my brother, telling me that he has some holiday time owed to him by his bosses, and he has booked the week after next off work. He has invited us to go and visit him in Vegas. I would really like to go, as I haven't seen him for such a long time, and he might not get another shot at time off for a while…"

"I see now why you needed to talk to me. It is short notice, and it also happens to clash with the plans we have made to go and see my dad in Ohio."

"Exactly. It was all that I could think about on the train. I really want to see my brother, but at the same time, we have a long standing commitment to your dad. I suppose that we could just split up for the week - I could go and see Julian for a few days, then join you and your dad in Ohio…"

"I have a much better idea Sebby," said Dave, pulling out his own phone. "Now, just sit there, and I know you will find this hard, but don't speak…" He proceeded to dial a number as Sebastian sat there in silence. "Hey pops! Yes, I'm fine… Look, I have a question for you - how would you like a trip to Las Vegas?" Those words were all it took for Sebastian to jump out of his chair and wrap his arms round his fiancé, kissing him on the cheek. The latter laughed, and batted him away. He went on to explain the situation to his dad, stressing how important it was that Sebastian reconnected with his brother properly, and that he would like to meet him too. Dave knew of course that his dad would say yes - not long after he had come out, when they had been talking about the future after his mother's departure, Paul had told his son that he had always wanted to go to Vegas, but his wife was dead against it. This way, the two most important men in Dave's life both got what they wanted, and he got to be the hero.

Meanwhile, the supper at the diner had turned into a farewell party for François, who would be heading back to Paris on Tuesday night. It no longer seemed strange to any of them to have him around; his face was no longer a reminder of Blaine, and no longer made them feel odd. He had become a firm friend to them all. Brittany in particular had fallen in love with him, and he with her; she and Santana had been told that they had to visit Paris and he had even offered up his parent's apartment as a honeymoon venue. That idea had found favour with both of them, and all they had to do was tell him the date, and he would sort it. He had also bonded closely with Mike; he saw him, alongside Niff, as close friends, on the same level as Sebastian. Mike had shown him some dance tips; Nick had asked for and been given some tips on French cuisine; and as for Jeff, well he had agreed to pose for him in the same dress as all the Warblers had the year before; he even had a copy to take home. He promised to frame it, so that when Jeff became famous, he would have an original. On the same day, Jeff had asked him for a few cooking tips too; he had intentions to surprise Nick one of these evenings….

It felt strange for all of them to return to normality now that the wedding was over. On Monday they were all back at work, be it on the stage in the case of Mike, surrounded by books in the case of both Nick and Sebastian, or singing as they waited on tables in the case of Jeff and Santana. The diner was busy with both the regulars and tourists, all attracted to an establishment whose reputation had only grown as time went on. The article in Vogue all those weeks ago had paid off in spades, and as they struggled with the volume of customers, Santana shared the opinion of Jeff that more staff would be a very good idea; that they would need, of course, to discuss the issue with the other partners, and indeed with Michelle, who was taking a week's holiday with her parents in Boston. It would not be an easy ask as they would have to both interview and audition at the same time, so to speak. "We need people that not only have good people skills; they need to have a great voice," said Santana to Jeff. "It is a pity that we cannot persuade your husband to join us on the official payroll."

"I have suggested it," he replied, "but Nicky always says no - we need our separate spaces for work, so that our home and work lives do not become blurred. I do see his point on that one. Sebastian wouldn't give up his job at the Strand either; he likes his books."

"I never would have imagined Sebastian as a book lover, if I am completely honest… So, we will just have to advertise and hope. I would suggest asking your cousin and his boyfriend, but that raises the whole family issue again."

"It does, but it would be less of a problem. The thing is, and it pains me to say this, I think that Duncan has managed to get himself a job at Whole Foods in Union Square, and worse still, Luke has applied to Starbucks…" He laughed out loud at the horrified expression on Santana's face at the last thing he had said. "Maybe we could persuade him otherwise; if not, we could always ask their new roommate. Seth would be perfect, as he is an ex-Warbler… Yeah, if Luke says no, then we can ask Seth."

"Well that is two names in the hat. We give your cousin first refusal, and then, if there is still a vacancy, and he wants to, because this job isn't for everyone, then we ask Seth. I'm sure that we can arrange it…"

Tuesday would turn out to be a day of contrasts. Their was happiness in the morning as Trent and Rory arrived in the city, along with the three ladies; they would be staying in town until the ladies flew home to Ireland on Sunday. They were all staying at the New Yorker; it was a good hotel, and close to Penn Station for travelling from Washington. It held memories for Trent and Rory of another wedding, but they had been spared largely from the series of dramatic events in the aftermath, so when Nick had offered to cash in his promised compensation for the incident with the plants to secure a lower rate for them all at the hotel as part of a wedding present, they had agreed, and they had secured some of the best rooms in the hotel for a fraction of the usual price. That was not their main wedding gift though - they had insisted to their friends that there was nothing that they wanted or needed, and so the Warblers and New Directions had conspired behind their backs and bought a joint present. It would be given to them the following day.

Rory was still recovering from the conversation he had had with his brother over Skype the previous day. It had started off with the usual preliminaries, the friendly brotherly chit chat. It was only when Séamus had told him that Becca was off at the resort's beauty salon that he told him all about the situation with their parents; how they had effectively been deported, and the reason why. At first, Séamus had just sat in silence, wide eyed and slack jawed - and then he had burst out laughing. Rory had done so too, though he felt enormously guilty about it. Both agreed to the policy of silence, although Séamus said that he would need to tell Becca, as she was his wife, and they had no secrets. Rory had agreed, then allowed his brother to get back to his honeymoon.

That evening though their was sadness in the air. Sebastian found himself travelling out on the train to JFK with François, as his friend was finally returning home, 'before all of my other friends think that I have emigrated to the New World.' He had come to help a man that he had never met scare his parents; both he and Cooper had been in tears as they had said goodbye to each other earlier that day. As with Santana and Brittany, Cooper had been told that he and Grace had to spend their honeymoon in Paris. He had agreed, on the condition that François agreed to be flown back for the wedding, but probably in economy this time. He had been wished well by everyone; with a few exceptions his appearance had left them all stunned - indeed, Isabelle Wright and even Carmen Tibideaux had felt faint on first seeing him, but they had all fallen in love with the charming young Parisian in the end. He in return had invited all of them to visit him if they were ever in Paris.

Now, as they stood in front of the check in desks at the airport, it was time for him to say farewell to his oldest friend. "Let us not draw this out and embarrass ourselves, as we are in America, not France. Au revoir, Guillaume. Stay happy, and enjoy life. Remember, I want an invite to your wedding, and…."

"….we will honeymoon in Paris! Thanks for everything, François. I am going to miss you…"

"Me too, mon ami…"

Then, in spite of themselves, there were tears, and a long final hug, before François checked in, and with a wave, headed off through security in the direction of his flight home.


	47. Presents, Dates and Secrets

**Presents, Dates and Secrets**

The following few days were a whirlwind of activity, most of it centred on keeping Rory's Nana and her two redoubtable companions occupied. The plans that Trent had made for them all on Wednesday had to be abandoned though. It was just after 6am when he and Rory were wakened by a loud and persistent knocking on the door of their room. Trent opened the door to be confronted by a broadly smiling Nick. "Ok guys, you have approximately one hour to get yourselves washed, dressed and ready to leave the hotel; Jeff and Santana have gone to wake the ladies and give them the same message. Today is the day that the two of you receive your official wedding gift from all of us."

"What kind of wedding gift involves waking us up so early in the morning?"

"No time to talk now Trentles! Go, get dressed, and be in the lobby for 7am sharp - you now have about 54 minutes!" With that Nick turned round and walked off, leaving the two young men with no other option than to comply, and plot how they were going to get their own back on their friends later…

In 53 minutes, the two of them were standing in the lobby, the three ladies at their side, none of them with the slightest idea what was going on. Then Mike walked in through the front door and announced, "Taxi for the Nixon party! If you would like to follow me…"

They all did, and followed him out to the street, where a stretch limo was waiting for them. They stopped and stared on the threshold of the hotel, until Rory found his voice. "Seriously! Mike, what is going on? This is…"

"…exactly what the two of you deserve. The driver knows exactly where he is heading - all I can say is that I am extremely jealous of you all. Enjoy your day!" He said no more as he held the door open for the ladies. As they stepped in, Sister Mary Agnes grumbled that if her Mother Superior ever found out that she had been for a ride in a limo…

The car took them to the heliport on 34th Street, down by the East River. Rory just gawped at the sight in front of them - a small helicopter was awaiting them, and at the foot of the steps stood two more familiar people - Sebastian and Sam. The latter ran over to open the door of the limo as it came to a halt right at the end of a strip of red carpet. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," Sam said, in his best impression of a posh English voice, "your transportation awaits."

"A helicopter!" said Trent. "A private helicopter. Ok, what is going on guys?"

"Just a little trip for you and the lovely ladies to one of New York's best known tourist attractions," said Sebastian with a grin, "So, if you would like to climb aboard, the crew will get you all prepared for takeoff."

"Ok… I guess that I have always wanted to fly in a helicopter," said Trent, with a smile.

"We know; you mentioned it often enough to Mitch when he was your roommate; Niff and I heard it often enough too. From what the New Directions told us, Rory will probably be pretty excited about it too - and about your destination. So hurry up and get on board!" Trent suddenly felt the urge to give Sebastian a tight hug, and the taller man accepted it warmly. "Ok, stop stalling Trent! Go and enjoy. Just one thing - don't forget to put on your mac when they give it to you…"

As Trent climbed on board, he wondered what on earth Sebastian had meant by that. As he fastened his seatbelt in his seat in front of Rory he thought all the harder; but it was only as the rotor blades began to turn that it suddenly hit him; New York State's biggest tourist attraction was not in the city at all…

The flight was fairly long, but it being a luxury helicopter, there was a stewardess to serve them food and drink; and the view was spectacular as they headed north, away from the city, along the Hudson River. It had them all staring out of the windows in awe. Trent was now certain of where they were heading, but he kept it to himself as they flew on; Rory was curious, but all Trent pointed out was that they were still flying above New York state. Finally, when they were about twenty minutes from their destination, the pilot announced it. Trent was pleased that he had worked it out; Rory was speechless; the three ladies thrilled. They flew in, but before coming in to land, they flew over their ultimate destination at a distance.

"Now that has to be one of the Lord's greatest works," said Sister Mary Agnes, "But I have to admit that it looks a lot bigger than it does in any pictures that I have seen."

"I still can't believe that they have actually sent us here," said Rory, almost tearfully. "I have always wanted to come here and see this. And now, I am here, with my husband, still technically honeymooners. I have made it to Niagara Falls…."

The experience lived up to all that they could have imagined. They discovered that arrangements had been made for them to take lunch in a restaurant overlooking the Falls; the food was delicious and the company more than convivial. Then it was off to await their assigned sailing on the _Maid of the Mist -_ and as they waited to board, they were all handed a blue plastic mac to put on over their street clothes when they got on the ship. The three ladies chose to sit inside the boat, with a good view, but less water. Trent and Rory however managed to secure themselves a spot at the very front of the vessel - with the result that even wearing the blue plastic macs, they were pretty wet by the time that the boat brought them back to the dock. The experience left the two of them speechless, stunned by the sheer force of nature's power. It had made them feel so small, as the mist from the falling water had left them almost obscured their vision.

They ended up taking far too many pictures; not just ones of the whole group, but of each individual. Sister Mary Agnes stated that her Mother Superior would be jealous of her on this occasion, not just censorious as usual. She would just not mention how they had travelled there - after all, they could have endured a lengthy trip by bus or train… Soon enough it was time for them to board the helicopter back to the city, and all of them did so with a smile. They returned to the same seats so that they could observe the landscape from a different angle, all of them anticipating the prospect of seeing the metropolis looming up in front of them as they flew down the centre of the Hudson Valley. All in all, it had been the most wonderful and thoughtful gift that their friends could have given them.

They arrived back at the heliport to find Séamus and Becca waiting for them, alongside Beats. He had been sent to escort them to the Chinese restaurant by the Criminal Court, the one that they were all so familiar with, with strict instructions to ensure that they headed there without any detour. Under no circumstances was he to permit them to come to the Spotlight, and he was not to head their either that evening. Flint was on his first date there with Izzy, and he just wanted the evening to be about the two of them; he loved his friends, but sometimes you just wanted them to stay away. Even more so if one of those people happened to be the young lady's sister.

After ensuring that the others were safely ensconced in the Chinese restaurant, Beats made his excuses, sent a quick text, then hopped on the subway to Elliot's tiny apartment. They were now quasi-official, given that Flint knew about them, and Santana had the same idea. It would be a while before he would be ready to admit to the others that he and Elliot were together, but both of them were ok with that. His heart was light as he walked along the still unfamiliar streets, buzzed a door, climbed the stairs, and was pulled into a warm pair of arms on the threshold. For only the second time, he entered the world of Starchild, and he could not have been happier.

In the diner, Sam was on duty with Brittany, and the two of them were fully aware of the need to give the young couple space on this most important of nights. To that end, they allowed Dani to serve them. Flint had been a bundle of nerves when he arrived, in a smart outfit of shirt and tie, which given the weather was contributing to the fact that he was sweating just a little. The diner was wonderfully cool when he stepped inside, carrying a bunch of flowers; seeing his nerves, Sam stepped over, told him to relax and breathe, and then found him a seat at a table for two in a quiet corner. He had arrived a good quarter of an hour before Izzy was due; she was five minutes late in the end, but even that short period of time had been enough to set Flint thinking that he had been dumped by her already…

"Nonsense! She is on her way, trust me," came a voice in his ear all of a sudden, and as it was in the calm and familiar tone of Wes, Flint accepted it as read. Sure enough, she walked in moments later, looking radiant, and he stood up to try and attract her attention. If anything, she looked even more beautiful than she had on the night of the wedding, in a light summer dress and a linen jacket; her smile on catching sight of him was broad and joyful. She strolled across, and he immediately felt flustered, unsure of what to do. She just laughed, kissed him on the cheek, and pulled him into a light hug. He felt much more at ease as he presented her with the flowers, and all the more certain that she was the one….

Although they were keeping their distance, both Sam and Brittany could see how well Flint and Izzy suited each other, and smiled at each other across the room. They were both pleased for him; he had been under a lot of stress for so long, and finally something in his life was going right. They were not the only ones to observe the pair; Dani was the consummate professional, but she was secretly rooting for Flint, and would enjoy telling Elliot all about it the next day - for some reason, he wasn't answering his phone. In one corner, Wes was also watching discretely. He had only come to the diner because having finished a pile of paperwork for Elizabeth, he thought it would be a good time to catch up with his cousin. He was surprised to discover that she was not there, but then he realised that with the wedding and all his work in the angelic realm, he had just taken his eye off the ball a little there. His arrival had been timely as he had calmed Flint down before he panicked and flustered himself. Now he watched in delight as he saw the boy happier than he had been since the day he had arrived at Dalton in his sophomore year and announced that his family were moving back to Kansas, but he was going to stay and board. This time his joy was due entirely to the company he was in, not the fact that he was escaping from his mother. Wes couldn't help but chortle as he imagined her reaction when she found out that her son had managed to find a girl all by himself….

Wes decided it was time to move on, and do what he had intended to do; he swapped a diner in Manhattan for a restaurant in Boston - one that he was very familiar with. He stepped back a moment, and just observed it once more. His aunt was in her usual seat by the door, welcoming the customers like old friends, whether they were or not; her husband was in the kitchen, keeping the staff on their toes; and Michelle was in the office, looking through the paperwork. He moved quickly past his aunt, who looked up as he passed and wondered where the draught was coming from; past his uncle, who was busy preparing a dish himself for a favoured, long standing customer; and then finally into the office, where his cousin was poring over a pile of legal papers. He saw the stressed look on her brow, and knew that something was up… "Hey, Michelle, what are you doing?"

"Hey, Birdy!" she said without looking up, "I'm just combing through all the papers concerning the ownership and management of the business. Your mother is still reeling from your will finally being settled, so now she is trying to destroy mom and dad in revenge. She is claiming that they have managed to violate the terms of the agreement by allowing me to take your ashes! I mean, have you ever heard anything so ridiculous? She knows that it won't stand up in court on its own, so she is making a lot of other claims and allegations about my behaviour and actions when I worked here. She has low friends in high places, and she could probably get the charges to stick, and thus have mom and dad kicked out of their livelihood. They aren't blaming me to my face, but we all know that if I had not intervened…"

Wes took a deep breath. He hated his mother for what she was doing to her own family, and so he realised what he had to do; something he should have done long ago… "Ok, stop looking in there, cuz. I can give you the weapon that you need. All you have to do is call up my mom, and tell her that you know all about what happened in Providence; and where all the evidence is hidden. Tell her that you will make the two boys pay; that you know that my half-brothers are guilty, and that she and dad hid the facts. I mean, did you never wonder why Randy and Bertie suddenly started to love my mom so much after years of hating her?"

Michelle looked up at her cousin, sitting on the corner of the desk, his eyes downcast, his wings slightly drooping. "How bad was it? I mean, what did they do? And…I can see you, Birdy! I can see you!" She promptly burst into tears, as did Wes. He had been told by Elizabeth that one day, without any warning, she would suddenly be able to. It would happen when both of their hearts aligned. He guessed that his anger towards his mom had matched the anger in her heart, and bang! He swiped at his eyes, and stood up, spreading his wings, watching as the small smile on his cousin's face grew ever wider. "Oh my God! They are so beautiful! I guess that I always imagined you with spotless white wings, Wes, but those bands of blue and red - they are for Dalton I guess… I can't believe that you have Warbler wings!" Her tears still fell, but from happiness, and then she started to laugh, mainly because Wes had started to hover just above the floor. "Ok, enough of that! I am impressed, ok! So the way to sort out your mother is quite simply to say I know all about Providence?"

"And the security box up in Maine," said Wes. He grabbed a pen, something that also caused a startled Michelle to gasp, and proceeded to write down the name of the bank and the box number. "If you say Providence; First National Bank; Blue Hill, No 193, then she will drop everything. If not, then go to the police with the evidence. It would serve them right, just as it served the Flanagans right to end up in Washington State on Saturday…"

Michelle was immediately curious as to what he meant by that - she assumed that the Flanagans in question had some kind of connection to Rory, but she did not ask. That was after all not where her main area of curiosity lay. "So, Birdy, just in case she asks, you had better tell me exactly what it is that dear Randy and Bertie did…"

"And it's not just because you want the gossip, is it cuz?" said Wes with a half grin. "They might have been refused service by a restaurant owner when they tried to purchase liquor. They did not take it too well, and they kicked off. He had them kicked out of his restaurant, and called them over-privileged white trash, so I believe. That night, his restaurant burnt down…"

"Are you telling me that they…" said Michelle, her face shocked. "That's awful!"

"There was a lot of evidence that they did it, but it conveniently got 'lost' after my mother paid a visit to the chief of police. She also told the detectives that she was with her two 'darling stepsons' when the fire started. I knew for a fact that it wasn't true; I had overheard her talking to my father in the next room that night, at just the right time; more arguing really. I noted down everything that I knew in my journal for the summer of 2005, which I believe is in Thad's possession now. I used the fact that I knew on my family two years ago; they threatened to stop paying my college fees if I took the time out and went to NYU so I could attend Hunter's trial; basically a stay at Harvard or get nothing threat. It worked then, so you might as well use it now. Tell them that you saw my journals after I died, before they got thrown away. If it gets them worried, then so much the better. They are the ones that deserve to suffer, not you and my decent relatives…"

"Well, there is no time like the present, is there Birdy?" With those words, Michelle picked up the phone, and when Wes' mother picked up, she abruptly told her to just be quiet, and listen - then she stated the information.

There was silence at the other end when she finished, and then a hissed "How do you know?"

"Wes and I were close, largely thanks to your attempts to force the two of us to marry. Neither of us wanted that, but we ended up spending the time we were locked away together talking, and sharing all of the big family secrets, not that there were any really on my side… I will always recall that not longer after you first forced us together, when Wes was twelve, he came one day and was white as a sheet; I could tell he was worrying about something, but he wouldn't tell me what… When he died, I took a few of his Warbler friends to his rooms, so that they could pick up a few momentos of a young man that they loved and held in great respect. As they chose, I looked for some of my own, and came across a pile of journals. I just happened to pick up the one for the summer of 2005... Arson is a crime; lying to the police is an even bigger one - almost as bad as bribing an official of the law. So here is the deal. I will keep quiet about what went down the summer that Randy was 26, and Bertie 25. I will burn the journal pages in question. In return, you will pass full control of the restaurants to my parents for a nominal fee - let's be honest, you have no interest in the business, you just like being able to exercise control over your brother. You will leave Wes to rest where he is, at Dalton - and you will stop harassing the school. And you will leave me alone too…"

"You have a nerve! How dare you!"

"May I remind you that all I have to do is the say the word, and you and your two stepsons will have jail time, not to mention social, if not financial, ruin in front of you if the scandal gets out. It's your choice, auntie dearest. I expect to hear from you in 24 hours, or there will be a journal making it's way to the police in Rhode Island."

Michelle put down the phone, and took a deep breath. She almost started to laugh when she heard Wes applauding her. "I always knew that you were a bit of a hardass, cuz, but until now, I had never seen it. I'm impressed, and ever so slightly scared…"

"I will take that as a compliment. Now that we have dealt with that, can we get back to the more important matter - the fact that I can see you. I would never have expected this to happen. Hearing you was great, if a little strange at first, but this, it is so much better. It is like having you back with me! I guess that this is also what all of your Warblers have had for a while. It must be a great comfort to them all…"

"I don't know about that; it means that they still have me when, by rights, I should be dead and gone. I don't know if that is entirely healthy for any of them? Ok, so it is good for Thad, because without it, I think that he would have left all of us, including me, a long time ago. David is getting stronger; he is standing on his own feet and making his own choices without referring back to me - he has Mercedes now of course, and she is so perfect for him. Niff are content, as they are bonded by a common love and a shared pain; and as for my little Trent, he has grown more and more confident every day, as he gets the love and affection he needs from Rory. They are starting to take their problems to the group and working on them together. I am so proud of all of them…"

"You should be, Birdy. Those boys are a credit to you; well rounded, polite, the perfect model of propriety, most of the time. I guess when you think about it, you always were kind of their guardian angel, even in life."

"Yeah, that is true. I always looked out for them, always worried for them - and I still am doing now. Just now, I am wondering how Flint is getting on with his date. Then there is Beats - I can't say much, but I think things are going to pan out in a way that leaves him pretty content too…"

Back at the diner, Flint was just heading out with Izzy, having insisted that he would escort her back to her friend's place on the Upper East Side - a relatively easy task as it happened, just taking her uptown on the 6 train, walking a few blocks from the station, and then heading back downtown again, changing onto the L train at Union Square to head back to Bushwick, where he and Beats were spending the night at the larger of the two lofts; after all, the bedroom that usually had Trent and Rory's name on it was empty, as they were staying at the New Yorker, and it saved them a journey home on the late bus. He had paid the bill, pulled out Izzy's chair and then helped her on with her coat, before holding the door open for her as they left.

"Your parents certainly have you well trained," remarked Izzy with a smile, as Flint insisted that he walked along the outside edge of the sidewalk.

"Not at all; this is all Dalton, where boys were moulded into young gentlemen. We were a pretty dapper bunch, at least in public."

"It was the same at my school - we were taught how to act like a lady. I think that they still assumed we would all have a house full of servants sometimes. They did teach us how to be ruthless in the workplace though, and there was a big emphasis on science and technology. I had decided to go into medicine long before I got there though. It will be a long slog - I have done two years already, and there will be several more to go after this year, but it is what I have always wanted to do. Penn State was great, but Princeton will be better, for this year at least."

"For this year…do I detect that you will be moving on again?"

"Yes, I will be. My place at Princeton is for this year, then I will move on to finish my medical degree here in New York."

"Well, now that I am aware of that, I had best concentrate my job hunting efforts on finding something here in New York after I finish school."

Izzy smiled at him, and said, "Yes, Flint, I guess you better had…"

On the subway, Flint managed to find Izzy a seat, then stood in front of her as the train sped north in the direction of Harlem. Eventually at 51st Street, the seat next to hers opened up, and he sat down beside her, taking her hand in his. There was no conversation needed; the fact that the other was there was enough. They remained hand in hand as they left the train, and walked through the quieter streets to the apartment complex where her friend lived. They said goodnight under the watchful eye of an elderly doorman, and then, just as she was about to step inside, Flint asked when he could see her again.

Soon he was heading back south again, plans made to meet Izzy in Philadelphia on Sunday. He stood on the train smiling, resisting the temptation to hum a joyful little tune to himself. He was sure now; he was in love. In Izzy Bernstein, he had finally found a girl that understood him and accepted him for who he was. His world was complete and he knew one thing for certain - his dad would be pleased for him. His mother would be pleased too, naturally, but more because she was a nice Jewish girl from a nice family, who was going into a good job…

By chance he met up with Beats on the L train platform at Union Square. He had spent a nice evening with Elliot, just the two of them sitting and chatting over a plate of spaghetti and a bottle of wine. There had been music on in the background, but if Flint had asked Beats to tell him what it was, he would not have been able to. They were sitting on a surprisingly quiet L train when Beats suddenly blurted out "We spent the last hour kissing; I kissed him for an hour… I think it might be love."

"Same for me and Izzy, only without the kissing marathon. I'm seeing her again on Sunday. It turns out she is only in Princeton for a year, then she will be moving to New York, so I guess that I will be too…"

"That's good, because I want to move here too. We can still be roommates, only maybe…"

"…with an added Elliot? Guess that I could live with that, seeing as we might also have an Ethan, all depending on his long term plans."

"We really aren't scattering that far are we, our little band of bird brothers. We're coming here, Seth is here too, or at least he will be soon. Jasper and Brad are in Chicago just now, but when I was talking to them at the wedding, they both mentioned that they might be moving here when they finish college."

"I think that is because Wes dying made us all realise how fragile we actually are; that we need each other around for support. The world is a lot more frightening than any of us ever realised at Dalton…" Beats nodded, and the two of them finished the journey back to Bushwick in companionable silence, both of them still on a high from the delights of their evening rendezvous.


	48. An Honest Mistake

**An Honest Mistake**

The weekend was soon upon them once again, and Saturday came with a fresh surprise for Trent and Rory. They had spent the previous two days on a whirlwind tour of the city with five companions; it was after all the first time that Séamus had been in the city for any length of time, and so he wanted to do the same touristy things as his grandmother. The three older ladies all appeared to have far more stamina than the young people had expected, and so they had hastened from place to place, ticking off all of the essentials. They took the ferry past the Statue of Liberty, strolled across the Brooklyn Bridge and marvelled at the view from the 86th floor of the Empire State Building. They made a visit to St Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, Sister Mary Agnes having been sent with greetings for the Archbishop from his counterpart in Dublin. She also made time to pay a visit to one of the remaining convents in the city, with warm greetings from her own. On Thursday night they had all gone to see Cooper perform in _Kinky Boots_ and had all thoroughly enjoyed it. The fact that they were able to say that they knew the star of the show personally was a big plus, and they managed with his help to get a photo with the whole cast. There was also a cheque for Sister Mary Agnes, which she could pass on to the charity of her choice back home. On Friday, they had gone out for dinner with Luke and Duncan, the latter very keen to get to know more about his great-aunt. He knew that his mother had promised to pay a visit to Ireland next year, and there was a big part of Duncan that wanted to go with them, but he wasn't sure if he could afford to. So whilst she was here, he wanted to take advantage. The two of them had hit it off, and by the end of the night, it was like they had known each other all their lives.

Saturday had been planned as a day for visiting galleries, but just as Trent was about to leave the room, Rory already having left to go and take his Nana down to breakfast, there was a tiny draught and Wes appeared in the room. "I can't stop," he said at once, "as there is a pile of paperwork with my name on it, but I just wanted to let you know that you and Rory are all over the cover of _GQ_. Apparently, your wedding suits are the talk of the town…"

"Seriously?" gasped Trent. "Oh, my….I bet Kurt is pleased!"

"Not exactly," said Wes, his face a picture. "Go and check out the article on the site and you will see why… I just thought I should warn you in advance…." Then, as quickly as he had arrived, he was gone, leaving Trent curious as to why Kurt should be upset. He checked the time, and hurried downstairs to join the others in the hotel restaurant, making sure to grab his tablet as he did so. He helped himself to the buffet, then sat down at the table, apologising for being a little late, and then for the fact that he was about to pull out his tablet - he had heard a rumour and he needed to check it out right away. He switched on his iPad, and launched the website; and then nearly choked on his cereal. Rory looked concerned at once; then Trent turned the screen to face him, and his own mouth just dropped open.

"Ok, what is going on?" said Séamus, full of brotherly concern.

Trent turned the screen round so that everyone else could see it; he and Rory were all over the front page of the website, a link from the cover of the new GQ magazine. Above them was a banner headline _'Congressman's adopted son married his boyfriend - but who is the mystery suit designer?'_

"You made the front cover of an international men's magazine - my grandson," said Agnes, glowing with pride. "Can we send a copy to your mother?" Séamus and Rory burst out laughing, but Trent was silent, as he had started to read the article. It was their suits that everyone was interested in; the cut, the style, the fabric - all so fresh and new - and then there was the issue of the mystery designers, known only by his initials…

"Oh, Jeff! What have you done…!" said Trent under his breath. It explained in a nutshell why Kurt was not best pleased; the whole world of men's fashion was wondering who JS-D was…

At that moment the young man in question was lying still half asleep in his marital bed, having worked a late shift at the diner the night before. He could hear Nick and Mike moving about in the kitchen; he could also smell that someone was baking cookies. That fact alone was enough to make him realise that he needed to summon up the energy to get out of the bed and face the day - but a few minutes more surely would not hurt… He suddenly felt someone's eyes upon him, and he sighed "Just a few minutes more please Nicky…"

"No Jeff. Now. Right now!" came the voice of Kurt, the tone of which made Jeff's blood instantly run cold. The last time that he had heard Kurt talking like that had been in the immediate aftermath of the slushie incident when Blaine had been hurt. He opened his eyes wide, and sat up, to see Kurt standing there, scowling, his arms folded across his chest. "So, here we are; me and the mystery man of the moment, the infamous JS-D! I get how it happened - you always sign your drawings with your initials like that. You did it involuntarily, out of habit, when you copied out my suit designs. Thing is, the fashion world now thinks that JS-D - you in other words - are the hottest new men's fashion designer in years! It won't be long before someone spots the initials on a piece of your artwork at school, and then it will all kick off big style…."

Before Jeff could respond, the bedroom door opened, and Nick appeared. "Ok, Jeffie, you need to get up now, you have a visitor… Oh, hey, Kurt, how long have you been here?"

"Not long - there was something that I needed to discuss with your husband," Kurt said, his voice now perfectly polite.

"He is popular today! I have your old boss Isabelle sitting in the kitchen waiting to see him - and if he isn't quick about it, I think that she might kidnap Caleb. Quite why she is here remains a total mystery to me…" said Nick, smiling.

Kurt's face had fallen again whilst Nick spoke, and in a sour voice he replied "Oh, I think that I know why - and so does Jeff. I will expect you to join us in the kitchen in five minutes, Jeff…" With those words, he stalked past Nick and into the hall.

"Ok, so he is in a bit of a mood… What have you done?"

"It wasn't deliberate Nicky. I always put my initials on all of my drawings; you know that. I might have done the same thing with Kurt's designs for Trent and Rory's suits…and as a result, people might think that I actually designed them…"

"Well, that is a bit of a situation… Ok, get dressed and head through to the kitchen before Kurt gets any angrier. I think I have an idea that might help - but I need to recall exactly where I put something…"

As Nick started to dig through the boxes of clutter that had accumulated in the bedroom cupboard, Jeff quickly pulled on some clothes, and pausing only to give his husband his usual morning kiss, he ran towards the kitchen. En route he passed Mike, sitting in the living room, with Caleb snuggled up on his lap. "Good luck," he whispered as he passed. "I can't recall the last time that I saw Kurt this angry…"

As Jeff walked in, Isabelle waved to him, not daring to speak as Kurt glowered at her. "Ah good. So I have the two of you in one place. Firstly, Jeff, I don't suppose that I can really be angry with you - after all, all you did was copy my rough sketches out and make them more workable. Adding on your initials was just habit. From what the lovely Isabelle had told me, your drawings were sent on to the tailor in strict confidence, but they were intercepted by someone at Vogue on the way back to her, and ended up in the hands of _GQ_. If I was still alive, then I would be delighted, because the suits that I designed are on the front cover of a magazine."

"They're what!" gasped Jeff.

"There is a picture of Trent and Rory on the front cover of this month's _GQ_ ," explained Isabelle. "It mentions who they are very briefly, but the bulk of the article is about their suits, and speculation about the mystery designer, known only by the initials on his sketches, JS-D."

"But I didn't design them, I only copied out Kurt's sketches!" Jeff wailed. "The last thing I want to be labelled as is a fashion designer! No offence meant to either of you, but it isn't my thing…"

"The problem is that you cannot deny that you drew them, nor can you say that I drew them as I have been dead for nearly two years. It is an absolute nightmare, and I am afraid that I can't see any way out of the mess…" said Kurt with a sigh.

"Enter the cavalry stage right," said Nick cheerfully, as he walked into the kitchen, carrying an old and tatty looking journal pad.

Kurt looked at him in anger for a moment - but then he recognised what his friend was holding. "Where did you find that? I lost it just after Blaine and Sam moved in; admittedly I never actually got a chance to look for it properly as we started planning a wedding shortly afterwards…"

"I came across it the day after we moved in. Jeff had gone to the store to fetch some more cleaning products, and I was checking in all the cupboards in the kitchen for the source of a rather strange odour," said Nick.

"It wasn't one of Sam's socks, was it?" said Kurt.

"Erm, no, it turned out to be a rather decayed orange if you must know. I tried to get it out, but it was stuck, and so I had to move the shelf. When I did, there was a thud, and this was lying there."

"I have no idea as to how it got there - unless Santana was hiding it for some reason…"

"How it got there is not important - what is, is that it is here now. I said nothing about it to anyone, even Jeff, at the time, because everything was still so raw - particularly after I opened it and saw what was drawn on the first page." Kurt blushed, and Nick smiled. "Don't worry, there are similar Jeff/Nick ones out there that my husband was drawing around the same time, and then hid. It is the rest of what is in here that we are interested in. So, with your permission, Kurt…" Kurt nodded, and Nick turned to face Isabelle. "Ms Wright, allow me to present to you the design portfolio of Kurt Hummel, from his days at Dalton to his tragic early death less than three years later. Now, I don't profess to know much about fashion, but I do like these…"

Isabelle took the book, and after an initial "Awwhh!" at the Kurt loves Blaine drawing on the first page, she turned to the next one, and gasped. She said nothing as she went on from page to page, but her face lit up afresh each time she turned a leaf over.

"So," said Nick, "my suggestion to solving our crisis is this - we place the original suit sketches in here; Trent can say that he asked Kurt to do them for him whilst he was at Dalton - he will do it if we tell him to - and as there is no mention of Rory's name, we will get away with it. Jeff can say that he drew them up to the finished version as a favour to Trent, after Burt had told him that he was sure that Kurt would have wished him to use them." Nick paused and observed the faces in front of him. Jeff looked relieved, Kurt looked much happier and as for Isabelle, she just looked thoughtful.

It was Kurt that broke the silence in the end. "That just might work. It does seem perfectly plausible that a romantic Trent, dreaming of his future, might just have asked me to do something like that. Admittedly, we would have to get him to say that the Celtic Knot and Shamrock designs on the cuffs were added by Jeff at his request, but other than that, it works perfectly for me. Dad and Trent will go along with it, and I am sure that all of the Warblers can be counted on to recall it happening at the time…"

"You can be sure of it," said Nick with a grin. "In fact, if I recall, it happened just after Valentine's Day, didn't it Jeff?"

"Yeah, that's right… I think we have a plan which gets me off the hook, thanks to you, Nicky. I am so sorry that I have caused all of this fuss for everybody though."

"And I am so sorry that I barged in and started shouting at you," said Kurt. "It's just as well that your husband is calm, logical and quick thinking. So there is the line for the magazine, Isabelle."

Kurt turned to his former boss, who had said nothing so far, and noticed that she had a tear in her eye. "Yes, that will work, it's just…. I would wear half of the dress designs that you have in here, Kurt. They are inspired, timeless and just so wearable. It is such a pity that you passed away before the world got to see your full potential; the designs in here would have made you famous…"

Kurt blushed, and smiled sadly. He said quietly, "What will be, will be. I guess that the world was not meant to own a Kurt Hummel design."

"Apart from Trent and Rory," said Jeff with a sad smile. "Then again, let us not forget all those wedding suits and dresses that you had created for what was to be your own wedding day…"

"True; all of my friends have something, more or less, barring most of the Warblers. I feel that I should design something for you two, Thad, David, and the rest; heck, even Sebastian. It would only be right and fair…"

Jeff smiled happily at the prospect, but in the end, it was Nick that spoke. "That would be good Kurt, but all of this talk has made me think again. Why does the fact that you are an angel necessarily have to preclude you being a fashion designer now? I mean, _GQ_ has a picture on its cover of Trent and Rory in suits that you designed. Why couldn't _Vogue_ have pictures on its cover of models in the dresses that you designed?" He paused, and looked at the faces of the three others in the room, who were just staring at him. Before they could speak, he continued. "If we are going to use my idea about the old design being drawn up for Trent and the suits, then why could we not do the same with the rest of this book? Why could you not be an undiscovered talent, lost to the world, but then restored by chance…?"

There was a stunned silence still in the room; Jeff was looking at his husband in admiration, as he thought that the entire scheme was quite magnificent. Kurt was wide eyed, not really daring to hope that what Nick was suggesting could even be possible. Then again, what rules were there that precluded angels being in business in the earthly realm? As for Isabelle, she looked as if she was about to burst with happiness. "I can see the article now; the undiscovered portfolio of a talented young man, once my intern, brought to the attention of the fashion world by chance when an old friend of his got married, and recalled the design made for him by the schoolboy Kurt Hummel. A whole collection of designs, for men and women, authorised by his congressman father; a collection from which all profits go to charity, in memory of a pair of young lovers, stolen from the world."

Kurt sat in awed silence, then spoke. "For charity? That I do like the sound of; a limited collection, with only a few of each item made; and we can ensure that my friends get a few pieces to model and promote, of course."

"You mean have the likes of Rachel, Cooper and Mercedes wearing part of your collection on red carpets," said Nick, with a grin.

"Well yes, but not just them - all of you. Jeff can copy them all out, to make the designs clear, and I can advise him of the little details that he might otherwise miss…"

"…and I will do that for no fee whatsoever, just the publicity; and a couple of suits for me and Nick," said Jeff.

"I could get the tailors on board," said Isabelle. "We could do this…"

"I will need to double check it with my mom first," said Kurt. "I mean, it might not be allowed - but if it is, then I guess we are go on this…." Isabelle clapped her hands in excitement; Jeff wrapped his arms around Nick and smothered him in kisses, which made Kurt laugh.

Then they all heard a tiny miaow, and turned to see Mike standing with Caleb in the doorway. "Safe to come in? All disagreements sorted?"

"Yes, Mike," said Kurt with a smile, walking over to place an arm round his old friends shoulders. "All is peace once more, largely down to Nick. So, you might as well know; I am going into business. Isabelle thinks that my old fashion designs from school will sell. All being well, today is the day when we start the process of launching the KEH Collection on the unsuspecting world…"

Mike was sworn to secrecy by all those gathered around the table, as there would have to be quite a bit of work done before they could even announce it to their friends; as well as having to ask permission from his mother, Kurt would have to ensure that Burt was also au fait with the situation. Kurt did not foresee any issues from his dad, but he wanted to talk to him about it first. The others were all more or less certain that Burt would be over the moon to see his son's design talents recognised, and as for Carole, she would be over the moon at the prospect of being able to wear designers dresses that she had not had to pay for. Shortly after Kurt left to see Burt, Isabelle departed to, insisting on a goodbye hug to Caleb; Jeff made sure to grab his little friend back, believing every word that Nick had told him - she did look like she might take Caleb with her, given half the chance.

After she was gone, Mike turned to the pair of them, and said "So the boys have made the cover of GQ magazine. This is going to sound awful, but I can guarantee that none of you ever expected Trent Nixon to be model material when you were all at Dalton. I know that sounds cruel, but he has lost a heck of a lot of weight in the last couple of years. It all started in his senior year, didn't it?"

"To quote Wes," said Nick, "One of the few positive side-effects of Hunter Clarington was Trent's weight loss. With all of his stress over the steroids, and then with having to take on the running of the Warblers, and taking care of all of us, he lost a bit; then when first Kurt and then Blaine died, it knocked him for six. The weight was being lost, and Rory noticed. He made subtle changes to Trent's diet, encouraged him to eat more healthily, took him out for long walks. Being with Rory made him happy, and so he had no need to comfort eat - and voila, now he is on the front cover of a fashion magazine. His mom will want it framed."

Jeff nodded, in full agreement with all that had just been said, then added "Rory's Nana will want a copy of it framed too, I expect…"

That was indeed the case. As they headed towards JFK the following day, Agnes had not one but three copies of the magazine in her hand luggage, and another in her main bag. She was not sure how easy the American edition would be to obtain in Ireland after all, and she wanted to be sure she had one to keep safe, one to taunt his mother with, and another to carry in her bag whenever she was out to show off to people. After all, her grandson was on the cover of _GQ_ \- let anyone in Clane try and beat that! It had been yet another high point in a trip full of them. She had seen her two grandsons marry for love, to two of the nicest people she had ever met. She had informed Burt and Carole that as they had adopted Rory, she had adopted them, and they had promised to try and make a trip to Ireland in the near future. She had found her long lost brother, and discovered that not only had he produced a daughter in a drunken mistake, but that she had gone on to give him two fine grandsons. Sure, it had expanded her Christmas card list, but that was more than ok with her. Family had always been important to her, and all the more now. She would worry about them all, so far away in America, but she was confident that all the other new friends that she had made would look after them for her. It had been such and eventful trip - she had expected to take in all the sights of Washington DC and New York, but could never have anticipated the close encounter with the President, nor the trip to Niagara Falls. She would have a lot to tell the ladies club when she and Mrs Flynn attended the next meeting.

But now the time had come to return to the slower pace of life in small town, rural Ireland. She did not think that she could take the fast pace of life in New York City at her time of life for very long, and Washington had not been much better. She had to admit that she had considered looking into whether she could stay in the country permanently, but in the end, her little cottage was calling her home. She would be back though - that much she promised her two grandsons as they stood in the line for the Aer Lingus check-in desk. She had too many reasons to come back now - she had a great-nephew that would be getting married one day, and great-grandchildren to visit in the future…

Then it was time. There were hugs all round, even from Sister Mary Agnes. Trent thanked her once again for sending Rory back to him, a charge which she strenuously denied. As Séamus was talking to his Nana and Mrs Flynn, she turned to Trent and Rory, and said, "It has been nice to see you again. Thank you for inviting me. I have seen things I never imagined to, like the White House, the Statue of Liberty, Niagara Falls, and four angels..." She walked away before anything more could be said, leaving the two young men flabbergasted, but then again, not shocked. Then with promises to call, and a pledge from Mrs Flynn that she would turn Agnes into a silver surfer, and get her online so that she could Skype if it killed her, the three women headed through security. Behind them, Trent comforted a sad Rory, whilst Becca did the same for Séamus. They all knew that it might be some time before they saw them in the flesh again.


	49. Viva Las Vegas!

**Viva Las Vegas!**

The following day saw Sebastian and Dave heading to the airport, albeit in their case Newark, to catch their flight to Las Vegas. They had not told anyone that their plans had changed, and thus everyone still thought that they were heading for Lima, and Dave's dad. Instead, he was meeting them in the gambling capital of the world; a city that was now home to Julian Smythe. Sebastian had mixed feelings about the trip - the ten year gap in their ages had not made it easy for them to bond as children; the fact that Sebastian's mother was resented by her stepson Julian had not helped a bit. It was hard for Sebastian to admit that his half-brother was now in his early thirties; he had half expected to find that he was married and had a string of kids when the warning from Grace Duval had made him seek him out again. For better or worse, he was heading west to see him, with a five hour flight ahead. If it did turn out bad, then at least he could say that he had tried. If it went well, then all the better. If nothing else, he was getting a trip to Vegas out of it, a place that had held a strange fascination since he had been a very young boy indeed. He had made himself three promises; one, to see the Grand Canyon too, as it was in the neighbourhood; two, to play just one game in a casino and then walk away - he did not want to end up as one of those people that you saw on the television, sat in front of a slot machine with a cup of quarters; and three, to get his picture taken with Elvis - because you had to, when you were in Vegas…

Their flight arrived into McCarran airport half an hour after the one that Paul Karofsky had caught from Ohio, and they had already arranged to meet up with him in the baggage reclaim area, so that they could walk out and meet up with Julian together. As he walked off the plane, Sebastian began to sweat, and it wasn't just from the heat of the desert city, where the temperature was in the low hundreds, a big change from the more temperate climate by the sea. It was at the prospect of the family reunion, and how awful it would be if it all went badly wrong. In the end, Dave insisted that he stop, and catch his breath. He guided Sebastian over to a bench, and placed an arm around him as he gasped in the air. "It will be alright, Sebby. He was the one that wanted you to come, so he must be up for this. Just get through the week. Dad and I can go out and just allow the two of you to talk it out. And remember, what happens in Vegas…"

Dave did not get a chance to finish, as Sebastian began to laugh at his use of the old cliché. "Ok, ok, I get it! Let's go and meet your dad, and then we can go and meet Jules - get the worst bit over with…" They found Paul easily enough in the baggage hall; they had paused for so long en route that all the other passengers from their flight had been and gone, and only two bags had been left to be claimed. Paul had grabbed them in the certain knowledge that they had to be theirs. There was a moment of reunion; hugs all round for the man that had done so much to support Dave after his sexuality had pushed him to the brink; to the man that increasingly saw Sebastian as another son. The feeling was mutual- Sebastian now saw Paul as his dad. He was the Burt to his Blaine, and just as with the other boy, he was more than happy to have the other man around.

Julian had told Sebastian that he would meet them at the exit to the parking lot, and that was where they headed now. As they neared the door, Sebastian saw him. He looked older, but only a little. He was still dressed as he always had been on the hottest days of summer back in Ohio; a pair of chino shorts, a T-shirt with something ridiculous printed on it (Ok, today it was a picture of Elvis, so it wasn't that bad) and a light blazer. He was busily checking his phone as they approached, but then he looked up. He tucked the phone away quickly, and smiling broadly, headed in their direction. Sebastian froze momentarily, but then found himself pulled into a tight hug, and suddenly all the tension that he had felt melted away. "You've aged well, Bas! You must have taken your mom's genes, like I took mine…"

"…because father certainly isn't aging well," finished Sebastian, getting himself a grin from his brother. "You haven't really changed, Jules, unlike me."

"I don't know - you're still tall and lanky, but filled in nicely in all the right places," his brother replied, and then he let him go. "So, to avoid us being totally rude, you had best make the introductions."

"Well, Julian, this is Paul Karofsky, my future father-in-law…"

"Nice to meet you sir," said Julian, as he shook Paul's hand.

"…and this is Dave, my fiancé, and if I am being completely honest, the love of my life."

"So, you are the man that managed to tame the boy that my father called… Actually, let's not go there. Now, as your future brother-in-law, I feel that it will be my duty later to tell you all kinds of stories about ickle Bazzy; I even have the baby photos…"

"You wouldn't dare, Jules!" said Sebastian. "Come to think of it, how did you end up with my baby photos?"

"Oh, I just might do it, little bro, because you did look so cute, particularly with the way that you carried that toy bunny around with you all the time." Sebastian couldn't help but smile a little at the mention of Bugs; he had indeed been his constant companion in childhood, but he had vanished without a trace when he was nine, not long after Julian had left home to go to college. His dad had been trying to get rid of him for years before that but had never succeeded, until then. It had been the beginning of the rift between father and youngest son - a gulf that had only widened as time went on. "Anyway, all that is for later. Let's get you guys to your hotel. Now I would have invited you all to stay with me, but I thought that you would prefer somewhere with maid service, not a messy bachelor pad. I may live in a place called Paradise, but it isn't in my place, trust me!"

"As I recall, Jules, your room at home was always referred to by my mom as 'the bombsite', so I am grateful that we aren't staying with you. I mean, I did insist that Dave and I had our vaccinations for typhoid and black death just in case you invited us to stay…"

"Ha, ha, Bazzy. For that, I might just insist that you do come and stay with me, and leave your fiancé to sleep in peace. After all, you used to snore…"

"He still does," said Dave, then seeing the glare he was getting from Sebastian, qualified it by saying "but I actually like it. It reminds me that he is alive, and I do actually struggle to sleep if he isn't there now…"

"Well, Mr Karofsky, these two really are sickeningly domestic! I guess I should start saving for their wedding present now…" As Paul laughed, Julian lead them all out to his car, Dave and Sebastian all smiles.

Those smiles grew all the wider when they saw his car. "Ok, now I have died and gone to heaven - you have a 1950s convertible! I have to say that I am impressed, Jules," said Sebastian.

"It's a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible to be precise," said Julian. "It guzzles gas, but yes, she is my baby. I bought her when I got here from Australia. I went to the dealers to buy something practical to get around in, and there she was; in a sorry state and in need of love and attention. I am a bit of an amateur mechanic, so I saw her as a bit of a challenge."

"Well, she looks the business," said Paul, a hint of jealousy in his voice. "My uncle had one of these when I was a kid, and then it was a treat to be allowed to ride up front with him, with the top down… His wife made him sell it for something more practical when I was six; I cried for days…"

"Well sir, if you would like to ride up front with me, we can let the lovebirds share the back seat." Sebastian and Dave agreed, and once they had stowed their luggage in the trunk, they climbed in. Paul settled in the front; once they were all in safely, Julian opened the door to the glovebox and pulled out several pairs of sunglasses. "I would suggest that these are essential, and I wasn't sure if you would have any with you."

"We do," said Sebastian, "but that pair of aviators is screaming out to me to put them on." He grabbed for the stylish pair of vintage glasses, and put them on, smiling, as Dave selected an equally vintage pair of wayfarers, then settled back at his side.

The drive to the hotel was not long, although Julian did take a detour so that they could pass by the famous _'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas'_ sign. He ended up having to stop and take a photo of the two fiancés standing underneath it beside his car. They would certainly be posting that on Facebook later. Then it was back into the car for the drive down the Strip. They passed by the first of the big complexes, the Mandalay Bay, then by the Luxor with its huge pyramid. As they drove by the Statue of Liberty outside New York, New York, Sebastian started to laugh, and soon Dave was too. This earned them a look over the top of his sunglasses from Julian, who just smiled and shook his head. Then as Caesar's Palace loomed up on the opposite side of the road, they turned off the Strip, and drove up to the hotel that had been chosen for them. Sebastian did a double take, then laughed even louder as they passed the Eiffel Tower - or rather, the version of it that stood outside Paris, Las Vegas. As Julian slowed the car down, he turned to his brother, and said "Ok, what is so funny?"

"This place, Jules; all of it! It is so kitsch, so fake, so tacky - I love it! I think that it is fantastic. Good choice of hotel, by the way."

"Well, I thought that you would feel at home in Paris. I did consider New York, New York, but it is full of fratboys at this time of year. If you had still been single, then it would have been ideal…now that you are so domesticated, not so much."

"Yes, you did right Jules. This place is perfect. It looks to have the right balance of classy and tawdry…"

Julian left them by the main door, adjacent to the Arc de Triomphe. It's appearance had left Sebastian in hysterics, though he had to admit that the traffic around this version was a lot less hectic than around the one in France. Julian went to park his car, and arranged to meet them all in an hour at the buffet restaurant in the hotel. They booked in, Dave preventing Sebastian from doing so in French, as he knew that it would only confuse the desk clerk. The two rooms that had been booked for them were next door to each other, but very different in style. Paul had a luxury room, but Dave and Sebastian had a Red Room, which was inspired by the Moulin Rouge. They both fell about laughing when they saw the sofa shaped like a pair of lips. "Just when I think that we have to have reached the tackiness threshold, it suddenly gets worse," said Sebastian as he went to freshen up.

Dave nodded, and picked up the hotel guide in the room, and started to read. He found himself smiling again, and shouted to Sebastian "It would appear that there is an octagonal swimming pool under the Eiffel Tower."

There was an immediate burst of laughter from the bathroom. "The French would be outraged at it all," Sebastian shouted back. "If François could see all of this, he would probably start to swear a lot, and curse the American people!"

"To be honest, having seen the real thing myself, I would be totally on his side," said Dave. "I can only imagine what horrors are awaiting us down at the buffet…"

"Well, my love, there is only one way to find out," said Sebastian as he emerged from the bathroom, "and we will do so very shortly indeed."

As it happened the food was pretty good, and actually quite authentic. The bouillabaisse was not a patch on François' family recipe though. Both Dave and Sebastian had been given the chance to taste it again during his last week in New York, when he had prepared a batch at the diner, and served it up to all his new American friends. As the four of them ate, their was a lot of talk about life in general, the two brothers doing most of the talking. Julian told them all about his career as a physicist, and the time that he had spent in Sydney; Sebastian for his part talked a lot about NYADA, and the experience of sharing a stage with the great and the good during Shakespeare in the Park. It was clear to both Dave and Paul that there was much that was remaining unsaid between the two brothers; by some unspoken signal, they both came to the conclusion that they needed to leave them alone to talk.

When Paul went to select some dessert, Dave quietly asked Sebastian is he would mind if he spent some quality father/son time alone with him. Sebastian agreed at once, knowing full well what he was actually doing, saying that it would be good for the two of them to have a catch up in private. "I guess that means that you will have to find some means to entertain me, big brother. It is still early, so how about you take me to see your place in Paradise? If nothing else, I could give you a hand with the tidying up…."

"That's not such a bad idea," said Julian as Paul came back from the buffet counter. "We could leave now, if you like, and that would give us a good few hours before I have to bring you back here; don't forget that we have an early start for our Grand Canyon excursion tomorrow." That agreed, they left the restaurant with a farewell to Dave and Paul, and headed out to the car. Soon Sebastian was sat in the front seat of the car, cruising back down the Strip, sunglasses back on. They rode in silence through the busy streets, both of them knowing that they would be about to bare their souls in a private discussion.


	50. Brotherly Heart to Heart

**Brotherly Heart to Heart**

Sebastian had not expected his brother to have an actual house with a garden; an apartment would he thought have been more his style. As they stepped inside, he realised that the place was much tidier than Julian had lead him to believe. "You must either have a maid, or a wife that you failed to mention," he remarked as Julian showed him into the immaculate lounge, and went to get them both a soda.

"I wish! I don't have the money for a maid on my wages, and my allowance from dear father stopped long ago. As for a wife - well there was a girl in Australia that I could quite happily have married, but it turned out that she already was… That is kind of how I ended up being back in the States. No, at the moment I am a firm believer in celibacy. Who would ever have imagined the Smythe brothers being celibate and monogamous respectively?"

"I guess that based on daddy dearest, it does seem unlikely," said Sebastian dryly, as Julian walked back into the room carrying two large glasses of soda, with a bag of tortilla chips under one arm and a box under the other.

"Yeah, our father is quite the player; on wife number three, and no doubt still playing around on the side. All of that is what keeps him from talking to us… Ok, before we go any further, I have a confession to make. I did something that made you miserable when you were still a kid, but it was done out of love, and for all the right reasons. I knew what daddy dearest had planned, so I pre-empted him. This box is for you Bas - I'd like you to open it…"

He handed the box to his curious brother, who cautiously took of the lid, and gasped in astonishment. There, staring back up at him, was something very familiar - a battered toy bunny… At once Sebastian felt a mixture of emotions. A part of his heart leapt for joy at being reunited with his long last childhood companion. He had been so scathing last year at Jeff's reaction to being reunited with his teddy bear, but now he knew that he owed his blond friend a massive apology. Yet at the same time, he recalled just how traumatic the loss had been on him as a nine year old - and all this time, Julian had known exactly where he was; he had been silent for over a decade.

"I can guess what you are thinking, Bas. You are thinking, why did he not return Bugs to me sooner? Why did he hold onto him when he knew that I mourned his loss so much? Why is he giving me him back now?"

"You are remarkably perceptive," said Sebastian in a low tone with an acid edge. "I'm an adult now, so I am not going to act like a petulant child. I will let you explain. I think that I get why you did it, but why did you not say anything to me sooner?"

"Because if dad had found out what I had done, he would have told me that he had relented; at the time, I would have believed him, and the minute I gave him back, the minute I returned him to that house, he would have been ripped apart and burnt with the trash. You know that is exactly what would have happened, because we are both aware now that he is exactly that kind of man. It would not have fixed your broken heart, and it would have broken mine. So I have kept him as a good luck charm; a constant reminder of my little brother; the little boy that I loved very much, in spite of everything that he might have thought."

"If you love me so much, Jules, then why has it been so long since I last saw you? When you went off to college, that was more or less it. A couple of days at Christmas and Thanksgiving; two weeks in the summer of your first year. I never saw you otherwise, and then you graduated from school, and that was it. You vanished entirely, leaving me alone in the middle of hell! I mean, the marriage was on the rocks before you left for college, and it got worse from then on. The arguments got worse and lasted longer- and I found myself caught up in them. I had no-one to turn to, nowhere to go for help or advice. I started to act up for attention and that only made things worse. Why did you stop coming home, Jules? You deserted me - so much for love!"

"I wanted to come home, so much, but I had been told to stay away by dad. He said that he did not need another bad influence working on you. That I was a disgrace to the Smythe name. He wanted me to do certain things, and when I refused to do them… He tried to force my hand, but I still managed to avoid it. To ensure that, I had to stay away…"

"You, a bad influence? I don't understand. What had you done that was so bad that he saw you as that? What did he want you to do that was so bad that you would leave me to face them alone?"

"He wanted me to abandon a friend that needed me; someone that was in trouble thanks to me. A girl…." Sebastian looked up at his brother, realisation written across his face. Julian smiled at him wanly, then pulled out his wallet and extracted a photo, which he passed to his brother. "His name is Peter. He's mine, for definite. I see him a few times a year. His mom and I were only a one night stand; we did try, for his sake, but it didn't work… So again, for his sake, so that he didn't have to grow up like we did in a house where the parents were constantly arguing, we went our separate ways. Her family were very supportive, and she and Peter are doing great. They live in Los Angeles… But if dad had his way, Peter would not exist. He wanted me to force Claire into having an abortion, and I refused. He couldn't cut me off completely - too much risk of a public scandal; but he told me that if I didn't stay away from you, then he would destroy my life and theirs. So, although it broke my heart, I had no choice. He was innocent, and I couldn't let dad… I'm so sorry Bas…I wish that I had been stronger, but it is what it is, and we can't go back and reverse my decisions…"

Sebastian sat quietly for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Yeah, that sounds exactly like daddy dearest. Reputation and face before family. So all the time that I was being a douche at Dalton, a whore in Paris and finally a decent human being in New York, I've actually been an uncle… I have a nephew; that makes me feel old, Jules. He's a good looking boy though, so he quite obviously takes after his mother…" Julian burst out laughing, and smiled for a moment. Sebastian smiled back, and said "I can see why you had to stay away. Does dad even acknowledge the existence of his grandson - no, don't bother, I already know the answer to that. I can forgive you, but I just want to know - once you knew that I was at Dalton, why did you not try and contact me there, through the school?"

"I did try, trust me. I might have been out of favour with dad, but not with the gardener. He and I had been friendly ever since I was a boy. When my mom left dad, and left me, he was there for me when dad just wasn't. He kept in touch with me, and still does - how else do you think that I know that father and number three are in trouble, heading for the rocks? He can overhear every fight in the garden. They had a big one a couple of weeks ago about the fishy smell coming from her workout space… Ok, why are you smirking? It was you, wasn't it? What did you do?"

"For starters, her 'workout space' is the room formerly known as Sebastian's bedroom…"

"Now that I didn't know - that's terrible!"

"Yeah, so placing a pile of frozen prawns under the carpet did seem like the perfect bit of revenge on them."

Julian shook his head, trying not to laugh. "Anyway, back to the story. It was our gardener that told me that you had been sent to a boarding school, against the wishes of your mother. It was easy enough to find the contact details of Dalton Academy on the internet; I got the phone number and called up, asking if I could possibly speak to you. Not possible, came the response, unless it was a family emergency. I told them it was, and who I was. There was a noise of typing into a computer in the background, then I was told in a terse voice that according to the school records you were an only child, and had no siblings, half-brother or otherwise. I was so shocked, I hung up there and then. So I made up my mind to send you a letter instead, but it was harder than I thought to do, so I kept putting it off… After all, I thought that it might be better if I did stay away; or that they might open all the mail before they handed it out… In the end, I sent you a Christmas card, with $100 in it, along with my address, my e-mail, and my cell number, begging for forgiveness and asking you to get in touch…"

Julian got up again, and went over to the desk; he opened the top drawer and took out an envelope, which he proceeded to hand to Sebastian. On it was his name, and the address of Dalton Academy. "They returned it, unopened with a note - _Left the school; No forwarding address given._ "

"I was in Paris by that Christmas. The divorce was coming, but not yet official."

"I felt so guilty that I had waited so long, so I called up my source to ask him what he knew. He had no idea what was going on; he had broken his ankle and hadn't been at work for a few weeks, but he would find out what he could and call me back. It was two days later that I found out that, to all intents and purposes, you were gone; in France, and not coming back. That your mother had had enough, and that there was a new woman in dad's life. He told me that when I called out of a sense of duty on Christmas Day. I spent it alone in a tiny condo in San Diego - just me and Bugs. And darn it all, he kept making me cry…."

Sebastian heard the hitch in his brother's voice, and looking up, saw that his eyes were moist. "Don't cry Jules. It's ok, I'm back now. You are stuck with me now, no escape ever!"

"Good, because I don't ever intend to let you go again, Bazzy." With that, the older man pulled his brother into a hug, which was quickly reciprocated - and if tears fell, then they fell…

They stayed like that for a few minutes, and then they slowly pulled apart, both of them wiping at their eyes. Julian smiled at Sebastian, and then started to speak again. "It was dad that told me that you were coming back home the following year. I had called him up to wish him a happy birthday, and he almost bit my head off. He proceeded to tell me what had happened, and how terrible it was for him…"

"Yeah, he really suffered. Not like me. I mean, having the clap at sixteen is just a barrel of laughs; trust me on that one."

"Wait a minute, you had what!? He told me that you had been having a lot of gratuitous sex, but the clap…!"

"Yeah. Painful as hell. Could have been worse though; one of the guys I just to hang around with end up with HIV."

"Jesus Bas! I could have lost you… Anyway, who cares? All of that is in the past now. We both played the field, copying daddy's example - you got an STD, I got a son."

"Yeah, just like dad - though I think in the end you got the better deal."

"He ended up ranting on at me about how it was all your mother's fault; how he didn't want you back, but that it was expected of him, and that number three was not pleased at all! That's when I blurted out that if he couldn't be bothered, if you were going to be such an inconvenience to him, then I would take custody of you; if he gave his permission, and gave me an allowance to pay for certain things, then I would happily become your legal guardian. He just laughed, and told me not to be a complete fool. That he would just send you back to Dalton, but as a full-time boarder, not a day pupil. That you were bad enough as it was without me getting influence over you, what with my delinquent tendencies. With that, he laughed again, then slammed down the phone. Two weeks later, I had been offered the job in Sydney; dad was not answering my calls, and I knew that the policies at Dalton would not have changed, and that you could not suddenly have a brother. I considered briefly just turning up at the school door, demanding to see you - but then I thought to myself that maybe dad was right, maybe I would just make things worse if I tried to intervene. So me and Bugs went down under…"

Julian had been looking down at his hands all the time he had been speaking. Now he looked up and saw that Sebastian was crying again. He wiped at his eyes, and then in a wavering voice, he said "You would really have been willing to offer me a home when neither mom or dad wanted anything to do with me?"

"Of course I would have Bazzy. I love you little brother. I might not have shown it, but I always did…"

"There is a big part of me wishes that you had - but then again, if I had been with you in California, I would never have met Dave; I would never have gone back to the Warblers, and despite the fact that I kept messing up, I ended up with some really good friends. And if you had taken me in, then the whole Hunter affair might have ended up being much, much worse…"

"Dad mentioned that name to me a couple of years ago when I called him long distance on his birthday. I asked how you were, and he instantly started on ranting about how you were nothing but trouble, and how this year's drama made last years pale into insignificance. He said nothing detailed, and I decided not to push on the subject. After all, by then, it had been several years since I had even spoken to you…"

"Well, I will fill you in on all the gory details. I went back to Dalton for my junior year. My two special friends from freshman year had graduated - and before you ask, yeah, that kind of special friend. Still, there were some hot new guys, but most of all, there was Blaine Anderson. Prep boy sex on a stick. Had a boyfriend that he left Dalton for less than a week after I arrived, but someone being attached had never stopped me before. Turns out that I had met a bit of a match in his boyfriend. He was having none of my games - called me meerkat because I kept popping up unexpectedly. Told me that I smelt of Craigslist - how he knew my reputation I do not know. He drove me mad, and in the end, I decided that he had to pay. I would throw a slushie filled with rock salt at him, and ruin his perfect skin. I had not counted on Blaine being a gentleman with quick reactions…."

"Let me guess - he got in the way and you threw it on him?"

"Yeah, got him right in the face; ended up nearly blinding him. Then I said something catty to a young, newly on the scene guy in a gay bar one night, and he took it badly. Ended up trying to kill himself…"

"I am starting to see why dad said what he did Bas…"

"Don't worry, the guy was found in time and lived. As for Blaine, his sight recovered, and I made it up enough with him and Kurt that I was asked to help the former when he proposed to him. Oh, and I should maybe mention - the guy in the bar; his name was Dave Karofsky."

"The same… Wow, he definitely forgave you then," said Julian with a smile.

"Yeah, he did, and he encouraged me to forgive myself. Anyway, that was junior year; senior year was when the Warblers and I ended up on steroids." Sebastian paused as his brothers eyebrows shot up. "Hunter Clarington was put in charge of the Warblers by his uncle, the new Principal of Dalton. He was nothing but a blackmailing bully with unlimited access to the personal records of each of us. He threatened to expose my Parisian secrets, including my STD, and I had no choice but to go along with what he said. To cut a long story short, one guy had the guts to refuse the drugs. Trent Nixon was brave enough to do it; was brave enough to drop hints to Blaine and his new choir at his new school. It all came out in the end, but not before Dalton Academy had turned into a living hell for all of us…" Sebastian paused again, and as his brother watched he pulled off his shirt, and then turned his back on Julian. He heard a gasp of horror and then a half-strangled sob. He turned back round, not bothering to put his shirt back on, to see tears in his brother's eyes yet again. "Hunter whipped me because two of the other seniors, Nick and Jeff, were overheard by him planning to run away, and he held me, as his deputy, accountable. What he ended up doing to them was far worse, but that isn't my story to tell. Suffice to say that the night he harmed them was the night I decided that I could stay silent no longer, and we ended up, ironically, singing like canaries to the authorities. It was a scandal. Hunter was expelled; all of the Warblers would have been if it hadn't been for Blaine, Trent and the former head Warbler, Wes, intervening. I graduated, and went to London, at dad's insistence - he felt that a year of hard work experience would do me good before college."

Sebastian took a breath, then went on. "I was back in four months. Basically, Hunter murdered Kurt, and tried to kill Blaine for destroying him. I had the clue that proved it and I gave it to the cops - a text sent to me in error by Hunter. Blaine found out about it, and well…he killed himself less than 24 hours later, blaming himself for Kurt's death…."

"Holy hell… If I had known that all of this was going on, I would have quit my job and come straight back to the States to be there for you…"

"I believe that you would have Jules… Dad, of course, didn't care. Told me to stop crying and moping and get on with it. Tried to ship me back to England, saying I should never have come back in the first place, as it made him look bad. But then…let's just say that I came into some money, and I told him to get lost, only not as politely. I ended up moving to New York to live with Nick and Jeff. Before everything with Hunter, I used to resent them, but now I would say that they, along with Trent, are my best friends. We supported each other through the fresh hell that was Hunter's trial. It was only then that we all discovered what Hunter had used on Jeff - turns out he was Hunter's brother, but I'll explain all of that another day."

"Yeah, you can…"

"And that is really it. I sang at Blaine's funeral, and at a later memorial for Kurt and Blaine, and on both occasions, the dean of NYADA was there - Kurt and Blaine had both been students there. She ended up taking those performances as my audition and that's how I ended up there. It also turned out that Dave had a football scholarship to a school in New York; we met at the trial, decided to give it another go, and we got engaged the same day Nick and Jeff got married. Now that day is another story for another day, trust me…. So yeah, in the space of two years I went from troubled, nasty, annoying and promiscuous to content, friendly, happy and monogamous. And now the icing on the cake - I have my big brother back. It is so good to be here Jules. I have missed you so much."

"I've missed you too, Bazzy"

"Plus, now I have an easy choice as to who to have as my best man on my wedding day - if you want to do it, of course."

"There is nothing that I would want to do more, little brother - except allow you to meet your idol - Elvis…"

"You remembered…"

"How could I forget? That summer when you found that old Elvis album and all that we heard from your room for the rest of that summer was the King belting out his greatest hits. I swear that by the time that I left for college I knew every single one of them word for word. Even now, whenever I hear one, I remember my nine year old brother, his hair styled in a quiff, belting out Elvis, and looking enviously at anything with rhinestones. I think that might also have been the summer that I had my earliest suspicions confirmed, and I knew that you were definitely gay."

Sebastian blushed, particularly as he realised that to this day, he kept his hair in a quiff like style, just as his great idol had. He had fallen in love with the voice, that much was true, but when he had then seen the pictures of a young Elvis, will they had stirred feelings in him even then - the old Elvis, not so much. He often wondered if, having been confronted with the evidence of the change in the man, if that was the reason why he had always been careful about what he ate.

"Ok, Bazzy, stop daydreaming about Elvis; much as I have enjoyed this, time is marching on, and I need to get you back to your fiancé before he thinks that I have kidnapped you, or worse. We are good now, aren't we?"

"Yeah, we're good. I used to blame you for not being around when I needed you, but now I see that it was all down to dad - and I should have realised it would be a long time ago. If I am being honest, I don't particularly like dad right now; in fact, from now on, you are the only family I want and need. Dad can take a hike, and as for my mother - well, the least said about her, the better. I can't remember the last time I even spoke to her, and I have a horrible feeling it might have been at Charles de Gaulle when she put me on the flight back. She might still be living in the same place, or she might have moved on. To be frank, it doesn't matter. I will be fine as long as I have my friends, my fiancé and my big brother."

"You've got me now, and I am never letting you go again. I am officially inviting myself to New York for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. I hope that you are up to cooking a big dinner, because if we are being honest, I am to cooking what chocolate is to fire guards…"

The drive back to the hotel was too quick for Sebastian's liking. Having been denied the fraternal company of Julian for so long, now he did not want it to come to an end. As they cruised down the Strip, the neon lights blazing all around them, Sebastian felt warm and fuzzy in a good way. On his lap was the Christmas card he had never received, still unopened, and the box that contained Bugs; Julian had insisted that he take him, as he had only ever been taking care of him for his little brother. Sebastian could see though that Julian had become quite attached to the toy too, and he resolved to try and find another one, identical if possible, that he could leave with his brother to act as his new good luck charm. 'So if by any chance there are any friendly angels watching and listening,' he thought, 'maybe they could help me out on this one, to save me a little bit of time.' Then again, he did not know if angels had access to such things as Ebay or Google. Then the car stopped, and he realised that they were back at the hotel already. "Ok, Bas, I will see you good and early tomorrow for our little excursion. If you are good, then maybe I will consider letting you drive my car for a while," said Julian with a grin.

Sebastian smiled back, and turned to pull him into a hug over the gear stick. "I love you Jules. See you tomorrow, big brother."

"I love you too, Bazzy. Sweet dreams, little bro," came his immediate reply.

When Sebastian let himself into his hotel room, Dave was sitting in one of the easy chairs waiting for him. He saw the smile on his face straight away and was relieved; it had obviously gone well. Sebastian came over, sat on his lap, and kissed him. "So, before you ask, it went very well indeed. He told me a few things that made sense of everything that has happened between us. We have a nephew, Dave; a one night stand accident. Dad told him to stay away…"

"So you're Uncle Sebastian now…"

"Yeah, I guess I am - and you'll be Uncle Dave. Oh, and remind me when we get home - I owe Jeff an apology." Dave looked confused, so he explained. "I made such fun of how emotional he got when he was reunited with his teddy bear; but tonight, Jules gave me back my toy bunny - he had taken it to stop dad throwing him away. I know how Jeff felt now… So, like it or not, we have someone new sharing our bedroom Dave." He opened the box, and proceeded to formally introduce his fiancé to his old pal Bugs.


	51. What Happens in Vegas

**What Happens in Vegas...**

The next morning saw Sebastian, Dave and Paul up early as they had promised. They were the first guests to arrive at the breakfast buffet, and even Sebastian had to admit that the croissants were the nearest in quality to those that he had enjoyed on a daily basis during his sojourn in Paris. It was 7.30am when they found themselves standing outside the hotel in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower for the arrival of Julian - and he arrived bang on schedule. Once again, Sebastian and Dave climbed into the back, donned their sunglasses, and relaxed in the back seat for the cross country drive to one of the United States best known physical features. They made good progress, as the roads were still quiet at that time in the morning, at least for them leaving the city behind. They made polite small talk as they drove; Julian wanted to know all about Dave and his football career; both he and Sebastian in their own turn wanted to know all about his time in Australia. They stopped twice for a break on the journey, and on the second occasion, Julian handed the keys of the car to Sebastian with the words "Do not make me regret this, little brother, or I will feel obligated to place your most cringe worthy baby pictures on Facebook for the whole world to see. I know a guy that can hack your page…" So it transpired that Julian and Paul ended up in the back seat as the two younger men sat in the front, Sebastian driving his brother's car very carefully to their ultimate destination. On their arrival, Julian agreed to the request of the younger men to take photos of them 'driving' the car; they both knew that those images would get the car lovers amongst their friends green with envy…

The Grand Canyon did not disappoint them in the slightest. To stand close to the edge and look down on the river flowing through the bottom of it, so far below, took their breath away. "It's like Trent said about Niagara Falls," said Sebastian. "You are suddenly confronted with a wonder created by nature, and you feel so small and speechless. To think that all of this was created by years of water moving over the rock and gradually wearing it away…. When you stop and think about it, man has been pretty insignificant here." Dave could only nod and agree with him. They ended up eating lunch in a diner within sight of the canyon; it was naturally more than a little bit touristy, but that was only to be expected, so close to Las Vegas.

They declined the opportunity to go for a bungee jump into the canyon, even after Julian admitted he had done one in Australia, and it wasn't anywhere near as bad as he had anticipated. The idea of throwing himself off a cliff with nothing but a length of rope tied round his ankles - and that was essentially what it was - scared the absolute heck out of the normally confident Sebastian Smythe. He was relieved when Dave said "No way, ever - and that goes for you too Sebby!" It allowed him to save face with his brother, and pretend that he would have done it if Dave hadn't intervened. They left the canyon with a pile of pictures, and both feet still planted firmly and securely on the ground.

As it was still fairly early, they did not head straight back to Las Vegas; instead, with Paul driving at Julian's suggestion - he could see how much the elder man loved his car, and he knew that he would be so very careful with his baby - they headed towards Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. As Dave put it, they went from an example of the wonders that nature could achieve, to one which showed what man could do. It certainly was an awe inspiring sight, the wall of the dam towering above them and the landscape. The whole area resounded to the faint hum from the hydro electric generators contained with the building, turning constantly to keep the bright lights of Vegas burning. They stopped off for coffee again, this time at a small lakeside hotel; it was perfect. It's very existence was vital to the maintenance of life in an area where amenities were few and far between. It was a veritable oasis in a sea of desert. It was all a world away from the streets of New York that Dave and Sebastian had become accustomed to. It was hard to imagine that Vegas was so close, even by road. In the end though, the lure of the big city began to pull them back.

Dave was offered a chance to drive Julian's car, but declined the opportunity to do so, citing the fact that he was a pretty poor driver, but they all knew that he would far rather just sit in the back seat with his fiancé and enjoy the drive home. The sun was beginning to set in the West as they saw the lights of the city appear, and once again Sebastian could only think that it was so tacky, but that was what made it so popular to pass through and maybe even stay awhile. "So, Julian, what have you got lined up for us this evening then? I am guessing that we will be having dinner first, but after that, well, the night is still young…"

Julian smiled, and said "I thought that we might take in a show gentlemen; there is a tribute to the Jersey Boys or there is a hypnotist act, but from what I have been told that is quite adult…."

"Not a problem - we are both adults these days," said Dave.

"Yeah, we are both nearly 21, and that makes us grown ups!" said Sebastian. "My vote is for the hypnotist; I mean, what is the worst that he could get us to do…"

At breakfast the following morning, Dave and Paul kept the promise that they had made the night before, and said nothing about the fact that the hypnotist had made Sebastian strip to his underwear on the stage, then had him clucking like a hen every time the word Elvis was said. They also trusted that Julian would not show him the video that he had made on his smartphone of the entire thing. Sebastian was totally clueless that morning about the events of the night before, and did not mention a thing to either of them as they started on breakfast. After their late night, they were eating later that day, and as a result Julian arrived as they were finishing up. "Hey guys, how are we all this morning?" he said cheerfully as he walked in. "Ready to go looking for Elvis…?"

Sebastian did not understand why they all looked at him in anticipation at that point, but when he merely answered "I guess…" he almost saw a mixture of disappointment and relief in their eyes. They began the day with an excursion down the Strip, past so many of the other famous casinos - the Golden Nugget, Circus Circus and Treasure Island to name but a few - and then headed off to the older part of town, where they found a spot for lunch. Then it was on to the Atomic Museum, a venue which left Dave and Sebastian staring in disbelief at the photographs of people, in the Fifties including some very famous faces, standing outside some of the very places they had just visited with mushroom clouds from nuclear tests visible in the background.

"I guess that people did not take health and safety as seriously back then as they do now," said Dave, shaking his head in disbelief. "I certainly would not have wanted to come here then, knowing what we do now about the harm it can do. But back then, they didn't know, and everyone came, especially Frank Sinatra and the whole of the Rat Pack…"

"And, of course, a certain Elvis," said Julian with a grin.

"Ok, can you explain to me why you pause and then smirk at me every time you say the word Elvis now?" said Sebastian, pointing a finger at his brother.

"If I do, then I'm sure I have no idea why I am doing it! Stop being paranoid, Bazzy - there is no need to get your feathers ruffled…"

They ended up having an early dinner that evening, as tonight was the night that Sebastian wanted to place his one bet. He had chosen to put it on at the casino in the hotel, and to do so at the roulette table. Paul Karofsky did not really approve of the whole idea of Sebastian gambling, but as Julian put it, it was one bet, of $20, which had come from the $100 he had placed in that Christmas card. It was not as if he was placing his entire life savings on one game of chance after another as some poor people did. Of course, once Sebastian had exchanged the $20 bill for the four $5 tokens, he then had to make a much more difficult decision - where exactly on the table to place his chips. He stood there for quite a while, watching the table, and where the ball was landing before he made his decision. He placed two chips on red and a few moments later he had doubled his stake. He took his winnings, but left the two original chips in place, and promptly won again. In the space of the next 10 minutes, Sebastian managed to win himself $100, as behind him Paul, Dave and Julian watched in mild surprise. Then he took his chips, and walked away.

"Well, that was fun! I can see why people play; how they could get a buzz from the anticipation, from the adrenaline rush as you wait for your number to come up… but I guess it would only be fun whilst you were winning. You have to be sensible - I felt that my luck was about to run out, so I cashed in. What I don't get is why, when the guy across the table called me chicken, a woman at the far end started to laugh out loud and point at me, screaming Elvis…. She must be mad…" He shook his head, and started to laugh at the inanity of it all, as his three companions joined in, glad of the excuse to laugh at the image all over again.

They had walked away from the tables by now, but that did not stop a young hostess walking up to them, and asking Sebastian if he and his companions would like a drink on the house in celebration of his winning streak. It did seem a little impolite and churlish to refuse, so they all took one of the drinks from the tray she was holding, and took a seat alongside a group of slot machines. "Ok, thanks to my little brother being a bit of a genius at the roulette wheel, we will probably be offered free drinks for the rest of the night, if we play our cards right," said Julian in a whisper. "All we need to do is get some quarters, pretend that we are playing these slot machines, and bingo!" A cheap night out thanks in no little part to our trainee high roller."

"I don't know about this," said Paul, with his parental hat firmly on. "I mean, they are both so young, and these free drinks are spirits, not low alcohol beer or sparkling cider."

"Oh, I quite share your concerns, sir," said Julian, in his best responsible brother voice. "If you and I stay a little more sober than they are, and just let the boys enjoy themselves, then it should be perfectly alright. After all, as they say, what happens in Vegas…"

"I suppose. Very well, but we are not staying here all night. As I recall, your brother was intent on going out and finding 'Elvis' this evening."

"Well," said Julian, as he watched Sebastian finish off his shot of Jim Beam, and the hostess promptly approach with her tray again, "if it comes down to it, I do know one place here in Las Vegas where we can be certain of finding Elvis for him…"


	52. Doesn't Always Stay in Vegas

_He updates on a Friday! Well, the last chapter was short, so I think you deserve a little bit more. Hope you like it..._

 **...Doesn't Always Stay in Vegas**

In New York, at 5am on Thursday morning, a barely awake Jeff switched off his alarm clock, and after he had untangled himself from his husband, carefully and quietly got out of bed. He had the early shift at the diner, and so he had to get up; he put on some coffee, to wake himself up a bit more, and then headed for a refreshing shower. After he had done this, he made his way back through to the kitchen, clad only in a towel; he placed some bread in the toaster, and poured himself a mug of coffee, the first sip increasing his wakefulness greatly. As he waited on his toast, a small noise at his feet reminded him that he was not the only creature that was awake in the loft. Jeff knew his job, and went to fetch food for Caleb; having filled his dish, he then poured some milk into a saucer for him, before adding some to his coffee. His toast made and spread generously with peanut butter, Jeff went to sit down at the table for five minutes. He had brought his phone through from the bedroom, and so he switched it on. He noticed as he did so that he had a plethora of notifications on Facebook. He opened the app out of curiosity, and went to read. As he did so, his toast suddenly stopped halfway to his mouth….

'Sebastian Smythe is in Las Vegas, Nevada' wasn't the issue - it was a surprise, but not a problem. It was the one underneath, posted an hour ago, which said 'Sebastian Smythe is now married to Dave Karofsky' that had given Jeff cause to pause in mild shock. "Ok," said Jeff, addressing Caleb quietly, "I think that our Sebastian is drunk in Las Vegas, and making mistakes on his phone…" He bit into his toast, and moved on to Sebastian's timeline instead - and nearly choked as the photo came up. There was a picture of Sebastian and Dave, holding hands, in front of an Elvis impersonator with a dog collar - and behind them was a sign saying 'Little Chapel of Elvis.'

Jeff was left to stare at the photo, his toast and his coffee forgotten. Then Caleb started to miaow at him, and he came back to reality. He looked up at the clock, and went back to his toast, finishing it as quickly as he could. He drained his coffee mug, before placing his plate and mug in the sink alongside the knife, reached down to give Caleb a stroke, which was enough to satisfy his little friend, and then headed back to the bedroom, his phone clutched in his hand. Nick was still curled up in bed, fast asleep. Jeff now found himself in a Catch 22 situation; did he wake Nick up to tell him, and risk the wrath of his husband at being woken so early when he didn't need to be; or did he leave him to sleep and find out later himself, and then potentially Jeff would be told off later for not telling him when he found out. Jeff decided that he couldn't win, so he clambered up onto the bed, and started to kiss Nick gently all over the face, whilst whispering his name quietly. It did not take long for Nick's bleary eyes to open, but then as he saw the time, he groaned. "Ok, Jeffie, much as I love and adore you, given the time you had better have a darn good reason for waking me up, like the loft being on fire, or aliens having landed in Central Park, or…"

"Sebastian is in Vegas, and has gone and got married to Dave."

"That would be a good…" Nick's eyes suddenly popped wide open, and he sat up in the bed. "Sebastian has what!? Are you being serious?"

As he turned his phone round so that the screen faced Nick, Jeff said "Yes, it's all true. Did I also mention that he got married by an Elvis impersonator? Still, on a positive note, he actually married Dave and not some random person…"

Nick suddenly burst out laughing loudly, and Jeff could only stare. "Oh, Jeffie, don't you remember the day that Trent and Rory told us they had set the date? And how Vegas came up in our Warbler skype chat, and David said…"

"…that a Warbler wedding in Las Vegas would be Wes' worst nightmare." said Jeff with a giggle.

"And Sebastian threatened to do exactly what he has just done," said Nick, chuckling.

"Thad is going to go absolutely mad when he finds out," said Jeff, stifling a laugh.

"Looking at that picture, he might not be the only one Jeffie. I would say that Sebastian was extremely drunk, and so was Dave. I would love to be a fly on the wall when they wake up and realise what they have done…" said Nick.

That image was enough to tip Jeff over the edge and he started to laugh loudly, Nick joining in and within a few moments they were approaching near hysterics. They only stopped when they felt a pair of eyes glaring at them, and turned to the door to see a half asleep Mike standing there, suffering from serious bedhead.

"Ok guys, what gives? It had better be good…"

"Sorry Mike, we were being a bit loud for the time of day," said Nick, "but we just found this out…" He held out Jeff's phone, and Mike stumbled over to sit on the edge of the bed, and try to get his eyes to focus so that he could read. A minute later, and he was howling with laughter along with Nick and Jeff, none of them noticing that Caleb was now standing indignantly at the door, wondering what on earth was going on that merited disturbing his sleep…

Eventually the laughter stopped as Jeff noticed the time, and the loft became a flurry of activity for a moment. Mike went back to bed, where Tina was still sound asleep, but as he lay there he could barely stop himself from chuckling as he thought how the others would react to Sebastian's news. Nick had decided that he might as well get up now that he was awake - he could after all make a start on his reading for college in the quiet of the early hours. He was in the kitchen, making himself some toast when Jeff flew in, kissed him, and then ran out of the door, heading to the subway. Caleb appeared, greeted Nick with a miaow, and went to sit by his dish, a look of expectation on his face. "Hmmm, I don't think so mister! There is no way that Jeff has not already fed you." Caleb proceeded to do his best at an innocent look, which made Nick smile. "You can have a little spot of milk; maybe if you are very good there will be some generous trimmings from the chicken I will be cooking for lunch later." He popped the toaster, poured a little milk in Caleb's saucer, then sat at the table with his toast and jelly, and a glass of grape juice, and buried his head in the first of his text books. He would read it until the time had become a little more acceptable, and then he would have a few calls to make; to Trent and Rory; to Beats and Flint; and to Ethan and Drew. After all, they might not have checked out Facebook for themselves…

By the time that it hit 9am on the East Coast, Nick had made his phone calls; none of the others had any idea what had happened before he asked them to go and check Facebook, and their reactions varied from indignation from Trent, to hysteria from Beats and Flint. They were all in agreement on one thing though; Thad was probably going to explode when he found out, and would proceed to read the riot act to Sebastian. This would be a severe punishment, particularly given the fact that he would be severely hungover. David on the other hand would probably be struggling to keep a straight face as Thad did so; his own reaction would be more like theirs.

At the diner, Jeff had said nothing - he had not needed to, as the moment that Santana had walked in, she had asked him straight away if he had heard the one about Elvis, the Meerkat and the new Mrs Meerkat. When Jeff had nodded and started to grin from ear to ear, the interest of the passing Dani was peaked. Jeff found out her thoughts a few minutes later when the sound of laughter could be heard from the kitchen as Santana presumably showed her that photo. The rest of the New Directions had of course also found out, and all of them agreed with the general consensus that it was marvellous as they gathered at the diner. Kitty had to admit that she found it just a bit tacky though, but then had been reduced to hysterics as Sam, who had been standing behind her, suddenly said "Uh-huh little lady" in his best Elvis voice. By unspoken agreement, no-one made any comment on the photo, as they did not want to disturb the sleep of the newlyweds.

In the end though, their resolve nearly broke when Artie announced that he had found the website of the wedding chapel, discovered that they took videos of every wedding that took place there, and that thanks to remarkably lax security online, their was a back door that allowed him to extract a video of the wedding…

So it was that, gathered in a tight group around Artie at a table in the diner, they watched on his laptop as Sebastian married Dave, both of them a lot the worse for drink, with Dave's father and a younger guy that none of them immediately recognised as witnesses. The fact that the whole ceremony was being done by a guy with an Elvis voice made it hard for them not to laugh, as did the couple's vows. The fact was though that it was sweet, and perfectly binding and legal, unlike the video. Nonetheless, Artie made a copy, and promptly forwarded it to the Warblers; all of them….

It was that E-mail that would bring everything to the attention of the two most senior Warblers in their apartment in L.A. It pinged up on screen just as David was about to start his morning message check, and he opened it without even reading what it was about. Two minutes in, he stopped it, took a deep breath, and went to wake up the still sleeping Thad. He said nothing as David let the whole ten minute video play out, though his face did give away a lot of what he was thinking. Once it was over, he placed his head in his hands, and groaned. "I am a prophet of doom, David. I said, in jest, that he would elope to Vegas and get married by someone dressed as Elvis, and voila! I suppose that it could be a lot worse though…"

"Well, yes… You could be waking up in Vegas with a massive hangover, like Sebastian will be, and be about to discover that you had married Dave, Thaddie. If I recall though, you predicted it would be me that you married…" Thad had to nod, and agree that David was right - it could have been a lot worse. Then again, when Wes made an appearance, things might just get a heck of a lot worse for a certain Warbler with a headache…


	53. Hungover and Hitched

**Hungover and Hitched**

It was nearly midday in New York by the time that something stirred Sebastian awake in his hotel room in Las Vegas. He opened his eyes, and promptly screwed them shut again, his head immediately pounding at the light coming in through the window. He made a mental note to never take advantage of free drinks in a casino ever again. He had lost count of how much he had actually drunk after the sixth glass… he cautiously opened his eyes again; it wasn't much better, but he needed to make himself aware of his surroundings. He was lying on top of the bed, still fully dressed, apart from being missing one sock and a shoe. Beside him, Dave lay in much the same condition, but he hadn't even been able to get a shoe off before he had passed out. His mouth was dry, his teeth seemed to have grown fur, and he could only picture how his hair must look. As for what time it was… He made an effort, and attempted to sit up so that he could see his phone and check the time. He ignored the pain that filled his skull as he sat upright, and shaded his eyes as the sun hit them all the stronger. He groaned again, but took a deep breath, and cautiously lowered his hand. It was as he did this that he noticed something. Next to his angel ring there was now another; a plain gold band. On his ring finger….

He stared at it for a moment without comprehension, then recalled that he had wanted to check the time. He reached for his phone, which by some miracle he had actually placed on the bedside table, and saw that it was sitting on a sheet of paper; good quality paper. He swiped at his phone, and saw that it was just before 9am, and that he had a number of messages. He placed his phone carefully back on the table - he was in no state to deal with messages right now. As he did so, his eyes suddenly lighted on four words on the top of the sheet of paper - 'Little Chapel of Elvis.' His brain was still befuddled, but he tried hard, and somehow he managed to recall demanding loudly in the manner of a stroppy teenage brat that he and Dave needed to go and see Elvis at once; that he had waited long enough, and if Julian was any kind of brother, then he would take them to see Elvis right away! He had dim memories of being in a cab, taking them to a place where Julian claimed that you could always find Elvis…

'Hence the certificate,' he thought. 'It goes without saying that there will always be an Elvis in the Little Chapel of Elvis…'

That was when his own words registered. A certificate. A certificate for what? He grabbed it, his phone falling to the floor with what seemed like an inordinately loud thud. He willed his eyes to focus, but when they did, he suddenly felt a hundred times worse. Why hadn't anyone stopped them? If not Julian, then surely Paul! He also had a horrible feeling that was the reason why he had so many messages….

"Cheer up, Sebastian! It could be a lot worse; at least you married your fiancé, and not some random stranger…"

Sebastian resisted the urge to groan as he recognised the voice. He looked up to see Kurt standing in front of him, smiling quite happily. In fact, if he was being nasty, he would say that the smile was almost smug… To his left stood Blaine, looking as if he was about to burst out laughing; to his right stood Wes, arms folded and frowning. In one hand, he seemed to be holding a heavenly version of Mr Bangy, and from where he was sitting, Sebastian was quite sure he was about to use it, possibly on him…

"Sebastian, Sebastian, Sebastian…" said Wes, unfolding his arms now to whirl his gavel in his right hand. "What can I say? We have been watching you discretely since you got here. At least you did what you said you would, more or less. You didn't really elope, though given that everyone thought you were in Ohio before you posted your location on Facebook in the drunken aftermath of last night, they might see it like that. What else can I say but that you have been having fun; some of it more amusing to us than the rest... Whilst we are at it, let's give Thad his due, he was spot on with his prediction about Elvis. It wasn't quite my worst nightmare given that you didn't have any of the rest of my flock with you; actually, if I am honest, the whole thing was every bit as tacky as you could wish for in Las Vegas. By the way, if you are having trouble recalling any of last night, you can refresh your memory with the video later. The one that Artie managed to find. The one that he has E-mailed to everyone…"

Sebastian had groaned at Facebook, but the idea of a video was much, much worse… "A video… So they all know, and they have all seen…"

"Everything," said Blaine with a smile. "In fact, I would say that the only person that doesn't know anything about the situation at this precise moment would be your husband… Maybe you should wake him up, break the news to him gently, then go and get some food. I'm sure that your new father-in-law will be wanting a word. We were all slightly shocked that he agreed to it, given that he and your brother were both more or less sober, but he had to agree with Julian that it would save an absolute fortune just to let you do it, as you were engaged anyway. The only problem he could foresee, and we are all agreed on this being true, is that you will incur the wrath of your friends who would naturally have wanted to be there."

"For my part though," said Wes, "I am glad that they weren't. All of my Warblers in Vegas at the one time - the very idea makes me shudder!"

"The guys are going to be angry, aren't they?" said Sebastian, as he put himself in their place, and realised that if Nick, Jeff or Trent had run off and got married without him, he would have been very hurt…

"I'm not going to lie to you. At first, yes, they will be, but they will get over it given time. Just like you will get over the hangover," said Wes, almost smiling now. "Right, I think it is time that we left you to wake up your husband, and break the good news to him. Once you've done that, the two of you can try and decide on an official surname."

Then the three angels were gone, and almost at once there was a moan from the person lying on the bed next to him. "Who were you talking to Sebby, because the sound of your voices was making my head hurt… How much did we drink last night?"

"Three visiting angels. As for drink, we had enough to last us both for several years, husband of mine…"

Dave laughed, groaned at the sound of his own laughter, and then stopped abruptly. "Wait….husband of mine? Please tell me that expression was used as a light hearted quip…"

"Nope, afraid not. We have become a typical Vegas cliché; but on a positive note, at least we married each other. Also, there is apparently a video of the entire thing doing the rounds, which is good, because I have absolutely no recollection of the ceremony, or even the moment that I said I do…"

Dave turned on his side and looked straight at Sebastian, noticing as he did so the new ring on his hand. "I can't believe that my dad let us do this - in fact, this is his wedding ring I am wearing; I recall the design on the side."

"Well, that explains your ring - I have no idea where mine came from; I presume Julian must have owned this one… At least we both had family at the wedding, and by the looks of this certificate, we also had Elvis…"

Dave snorted out a laugh and then stopped himself. "Seriously, Sebby, how tawdry are we… Married in Vegas by Elvis…" Suddenly he started to giggle, and Sebastian couldn't help but join in, the two of them lying back on the bed and just laughing out loud.

Eventually, as the need to laugh died down, Sebastian turned on his side again to face Dave, and smiled as their eyes met. "Hello, husband," he said.

"And hi to you too, husband," Dave replied; and then they moved together and let their lips meet in a kiss…

Half an hour later they made it down to breakfast, after a quick shower and a change of clothes, glad that late nights were the norm in Vegas and as a result, the breakfast buffet was still open. They both made a beeline for the coffee, and against the norm, they both opted to take it black. "Good start, boys. They also say that greasy food helps to settle the stomach, so I would suggest something cooked today rather than your usual cereals and pastries," came the voice of Paul Karofsky, whom neither of them had noticed sitting close to the counter.

Sebastian took a breath, and turned to face the man that was now officially his father-in-law, and smiled wanly. "Yeah, it might be a good idea, Mr K. We are both pretty hungover."

"Oh, please, call me dad or at least Paul now that you are my son-in-law, Sebastian."

"Yeah, about that…" Sebastian began, but was not allowed to finish.

"When I woke up this morning, and I recalled what I saw last night, my initial thought was 'Why the heck did you let them!?' That is certainly what your mother will say to me, though probably not as politely, when I tell her, Dave. And then I realised that I had let you because you are both very much in love; engaged in any case; and it turned out to be one of the most entertaining weddings that I have ever attended…"

"Well, dad," said Dave, "could you maybe fill us in on the details, because neither of us can remember a single moment of it."

Paul looked at his son with incredulity for a moment, then started to laugh. "I guess it is just as well that I was here, or the two of you could be in real trouble. Get yourselves some food, and then come over and join me at the usual table in the corner, where incidentally, my new son-in-law's brother has also been waiting for the two of you to surface."

A few minutes later, both armed with plates full of bacon, fried egg and hash browns, the two of them took a seat at the table, Sebastian doing his best not to meet Julian's eye. As soon as they sat down, he spoke. "Good morning little brother and not so little brother-in-law! How is married life treating the two of you?"

"So far, Jules, to a bad headache and a collection of messages on my phone that I do not even want to open," said Sebastian. "I have one question - my ring?"

"It was grandfather Smythe's. He gave it to me when I got Claire pregnant and everyone was insisting that I had to marry her. When she said over her dead body, he told me to keep it and use it myself some day. I figured that he wouldn't object if you used it instead of me; at least it is staying in the family. Dad on the other hand…"

"Don't!" groaned Sebastian. "I know that he is going to go ballistic. As for my mom, if she ever finds out, she may think that my adventures in Paris were preferable to the embarrassment of a tacky wedding in Vegas, and that is saying something!"

"Well, I am more than happy to see you married, Bazzy, and so is your father-in-law. Your parents rejected you, so their opinion doesn't count. As for your friends, I am sure they will all be pleased for you, once they have got over the shock, when you tell them."

"There is no need for me to tell them. I believe I put it on Facebook…"

"Oops! So they all know… well, that does explain the message mountain and your reluctance to deal with them."

"Yeah, and from what I could see from the brief glance I took, they have even managed to find a video of the whole thing, because apparently, the chapel films all their ceremonies."

"Do they?" said Julian, with a grin that suggested he was fully aware of the fact. "Now I would actually pay to see that, because, well, how can I put this…?"

Paul looked at him, and said "Shall we just say, boys, that your vows were 'special' and it didn't exactly help matters that someone kept saying 'It's Elvis!' in a whisper every two minutes…" Another groan promptly came from Sebastian at that revelation, as he knew that had to have been him…

Once they had eaten, and drunk more coffee than was probably healthy, Sebastian and Dave headed back to their room. They had dealt with the people with them in Vegas; now it was time to deal with the messages. They found that they both had the one with the video attachment from Artie, but they agreed to leave opening that until last. There were messages from most of their friends, the content varying from person to person. They had a message of congratulations from Brittany and another from Kitty, although the nice nature of the latter terrified them both for some reason. Sebastian discovered that he had a string of messages on his phone which basically amounted to a lecture from Thad - he started with a note about the things that can happen when you drink to excess that were potentially worse than getting married in Vegas; then he informed him that he wanted to speak to him as soon as possible about it; and then he finished up by chiding him for the poor example he had set the younger boys. Sebastian could handle that, and he deserved every word of it. What really concerned him though was the messages that he didn't have; there was no message either way from Nick, Jeff or Trent. The lack of communication from his three best friends in the Warblers broke his heart, and more than a little; he knew that they had to know all about it, so he took their silence as a disapproval of the way that he had conducted his wedding after the momentous occasions that they had all had to mark their own marriages. He sighed, and realised that he had some serious grovelling to do - but that, along with his conversation with Thad, could wait until later. They had a video to watch first…

For a video shot in a wedding chapel, the quality of the film was remarkably good, with clear picture and excellent sound. They saw themselves coming in, side by side, with huge grins on their faces, then proceed to walk to the front of the room, only swaying a little, past rows of empty chairs to where Paul and Julian sat at the front. It wasn't a small wedding - it was a miniscule one. Then the celebrant arrived, to the sound of _Blue Suede Shoes._ "Look, it's Elvis!" squealed the Sebastian on screen - the one watching in his hotel room groaned loudly.

"Yeah, it is," said Dave as he sat next to Sebastian on the bed. "And he was wearing blue suede shoes too. Now, no more groans; it has happened and we can't change it. All we can do now is watch in silence and see where this goes…"

On screen, the celebrant had now started the service, in a voice that was perfect in timbre and pitch for that of Elvis, and read all that he had to, ignoring the fact that every so often one of the grooms would squeak "It's Elvis!" to anyone that would listen. "Now, we come to the vows. These must come from your heart, uh-huh, to ensure that you good people do not end up on lonely street, checking into the Heartbreak Hotel. So, Sebastian, please make your vow to Dave."

A drunk Sebastian giggled, and said, only slurring slightly "Yes, sir, Elvis! Dave, it is now or never, come hold me tight. I want you to kiss me, my darling, be mine tonight. Tomorrow may be to late, it's now or never, my love won't wait. I guess what I mean is that I just want you to be my husband. I love you so very, very much, and my life is so much better for you being in it. You know that I can be a bitch; heck, you were the biggest victim of that, and I am so, so sorry for that, but you forgave me, you love me, and well, every day, you blow….my mind. I want to be your man, for all time. I promise you that I will be faithful, and not go back to my old ways. I don't need to when I have you around, tiger. So yours for ever, and that's it. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen, and now, it's back to Elvis!"

"Uh-huh. Now Dave, your vow to Sebastian."

"Ok, this is just so… Sebastian, I used to be so afraid of who I am; scared to let the world know. I was vulnerable, and in the end you pushed me too far. Ok, that's not good, but it worked. Made me deal with it, and made me more confident. Without you by my side, I doubt that I could manage to be so out and proud, not just with our friends, but professionally too. So, getting married is the next logical step, and as everyone keeps saying, why not now? I have my dad here, and you, and your brother, and that's all we need - until we have our kids of course; maybe not a whole football team, but yeah, I want kids with you. Ok, now, just to show that you aren't the only one that can do it… I don't want to be your tiger, 'cause tigers play to rough; I don't want to be your lion, 'cause lions ain't the kind you love enough. I just want to be your teddy bear…." At that point, there was an audible "Aww!" from someone in the room. "Anyway, I love you, Sebastian Guillaume Smythe. Marrying you will be the best thing that I ever do; your heart is a better prize than any football trophy. Being your husband is a lot like winning the Superbowl - life changing!"

Sebastian was blushing as he finished, and he blurted out "I love you so much, Davy"

"I love you too, Sebby…"

"Uh-huh. So that's the vows done, kinda. So now we need to do the formal ones, and we can be good…."

The formal vows took some time to do, mainly as the two grooms appeared to be having difficulty in remembering the words that the celebrant was asking them to repeat. Then, before he formally declared that they were husbands, he sang _Love Me Tender_ , which had Sebastian reduced to tears, whilst Dave wrapped his arms around him, and whispered sweet nothings in his ear. Then, after the exchanging of the rings, they were declared married by the powers vested in Elvis by the City of Las Vegas. The kiss that followed was less than PC, to put it politely, and then the ceremony was over, and they walked out hand in hand with _The Wonder of You_ playing in the background.

At that point, the video ended, and the two young husbands were left to sit in silence side by side on the end of the bed. In the end, it was Dave that broke the silence with the words "Well, it could have been worse…"

"Dave, my love, I am so glad to be married to you, believe me, but that… Half of my vows were the lyrics of _Heartbreak Hotel_ ; none of our dearest and closest friends were present, and I think that some of them might not find it easy to forgive us for that; and we got married in a cheap 24 hour wedding chapel just off the Vegas Strip! How could it have been worse?"

"I might have gone onto Google and checked out their website - as well as the traditional Elvis wedding we had, they do nude ones, and we were really drunk…"

"Ok, so that would have been worse, given that I presume there would still have been a video, but still - it was hardly a dream wedding. I mean, just wait until the guys on your team find out about this. We are going to be the subject of ridicule to begin with, and then we will be labelled as cheapskates that just did not want to pay up for a wedding reception."

"We've both survived a lot worse things than this; plus this time, we are together."

"I know but…" Sebastian suddenly found to his horror that he was having to blink back tears. "I wanted to remember our wedding day; I wanted to get dressed up to the nines and have a day to remember, with lots of pictures to show to our children and grandchildren. Can you imagine showing them that video, or the photo on Facebook of the pair of us with Elvis, dressed down, and me with a ketchup stain on my shirt?"

"Ok, I agree, you have me there. But, my love, there is a solution. We renew our vows. Not this week, maybe not even this year, but we do it again, the way that you and I both wanted, back in New York. We could get married there at Thanksgiving or at Christmas. Picture it - a winter wedding. Soft candle light under the dark skies of a winter evening. All of our friends there with us? What do you say, Mr Smythe?"

"I say that you are the most wonderful, understanding, clever and handsome husband in the world. Christmas or even New Year does sound so special, particularly the idea of the candles. Just one thing though - it's Mr Karofsky-Smythe now. No arguments, it sounds best that way round. Professionally, we stick to our previous unmarried names, but at home, and officially, we are now the Karofsky-Smythe's."

"I guess that I can live with that - yeah, Dave and Sebastian Karofsky-Smythe has a certain ring to it. So, seeing as we informed everyone about our marriage on Facebook, we should do the news of our name change the same way."

"That is a plan. Let's go and tell our respective in-laws, then we can go and have a celebration lunch. That will give me the time that I need to psyche myself up to speak to Thad…"

In New York, Jeff had just arrived home from his shift to an empty loft - Nick was at work at the Law Library; Mike and Tina were out somewhere - when he received the Facebook notification of the name change. He smiled happily as he put his key away in his pocket. He had been a tiny bit afraid that they would receive news of an annulment having taken place. As Caleb walked towards him, maiowing in greeting in the hope that he might be heading into the kitchen, Jeff wondered if he should send Sebastian a message, or even just a like. Nick had told him that they should act hurt, at least to begin with, though. Jeff did feel a little bit guilty about doing so, but as Nick had said, Sebastian was their best friend alongside Trent, and he had agreed that he did feel ever so slightly let down that the final marriage of their quartet had happened in such a way - even if the video had made them all laugh and cringe at the same time. It had been on a virtual loop at the diner; Nick had sent him a message to say that he had shown it to some of his colleagues at the Law Library, and they had been shushed by the readers for laughing too loudly. No, there would be time to congratulate Dave and Sebastian when they got home. Maybe even a party at the diner. With Elvis songs. A whole lot of Elvis songs…


	54. Facing the Aftermath

**Facing the Aftermath**

Lunch that day was a wonderful experience for both of the Karofsky-Smythe's. They had been sent a text by Paul, telling them to dress smart, and they had done so to the best of their ability with the wardrobe they had brought. Then there was a knock at the door, and they opened it to reveal a smartly dressed Julian, carrying two ties, which he knew they would not have brought. He then escorted them to the best restaurant in the complex - a French restaurant with a dress code and an authentic menu. Paul was already waiting at a table for them - he had thought of ordering champagne to mark the occasion, but then decided that given just how much alcohol the two young men had consumed the night before, it would be safer to opt instead for a bottle of sparkling grape juice. He poured them all a glass, and then stood up to propose a toast to his son and his new son-in-law, hoping that their marriage would not be anything like that of their parents, and that it would be long and happy. Julian then proposed a toast to his brother and his new brother-in-law, echoing Paul in his wishes, and stating that he hoped all of their troubles would be little ones, which made Dave and Sebastian laugh - they both wanted kids, but once they were settled and comfortable in their careers.

Sebastian then proposed a toast of his own, on his and Dave's behalf, thanking their respective in-laws, and also Grace Duval, for suggesting obliquely that he should get in touch with Julian in the first place - after all, if she hadn't, they would not be in Vegas and their would have been no wedding in the first place. He also asked for support when they got back home, as he expected their to be quite a lot of comment aimed at them from their friends and indeed colleagues - he had received a message just before heading down from his boss at the Strand, congratulating him, and telling him that his wedding video had left the staff room in hysterics. The toasts over, they ordered, Sebastian embarrassing the snooty waiter that had been looking down his nose at them by ordering in fluent French, and then talking slowly when he was asked to repeat his order in English. As he walked away, Julian turned to his brother, and said, "So you haven't changed one little bit, little bro," trying to stifle a laugh as he did so.

"He deserved it! Anyway, Christmas - are you still intending to come to New York and spend the day with us? If so, do you think that you could possibly bring my little nephew with you?"

"I would need to speak to his mom on that score - why do you ask?"

"Well, it would be nice to have a page boy at our vow renewal, and even the youngest of the Warblers would tell me where to go if I offered them that role."

"You're planning a vow renewal already?" said Paul with a smile. "I guess that would be one way to placate your friends, and I am assuming that it would be far more formal?"

"Oh, yes, dad, Dave and I both envisage it being a black tie affair," answered Sebastian, pleased at the smile on Paul's face as he used the term for him.

"So no invite for Elvis then - he will be disappointed," said Julian, with such a crestfallen expression on his face that they all burst out laughing.

After lunch, Sebastian decided that it was time that he faced the inevitable. Tempting though it was to just keep putting the moment off, he was acutely aware that he was only four hours or so by car from L.A.; just over an hour by air - and he wouldn't put it past Thad to turn up, armed with Mr Bangy, if he did not call him very soon. So he left Dave with his father and Julian, and headed back up to his room, hoping that he would be able to keep the call as short as possible - but that was up to Thad, of course. He would try and emphasise to him that he had come to Vegas to see his brother, and as this was his last day here, he wanted to spend as much time as possible with him. He made the call, and was not in the least surprised that the phone barely rang before it was answered.

"Ah, Sebastian!" said Thad, "Finally surfaced from the depths of a nuptial inducing drinking binge at last. There isn't much that I can say. It was certainly a surprise, but if we had known where you had gone, it really would not have been. After all, didn't I say…"

"I know, Thad, I know. You predicted the whole thing! I just want to make one thing clear right now though. I did not elope to Las Vegas; I am here meeting up with my half-brother Julian; I haven't seen him in a decade, and someone said some stuff to me, and I decided to reach out, and here we are. We got here on Monday, we got a lot of stuff out in the open, and yeah…"

"I take it he is the other guy in the video with Dave's father," said Thad, all the underlying anger in his voice now gone, replaced with concern.

"Yeah, that's Jules, and we are getting on great. Turns out my dad was the reason he stayed out of my life…but he's back now, and I'm not letting him go. I never imagined it when I came, but when we head back to New York tomorrow, it is going to be a wrench."

"I'm glad to hear it. As you know, I have problems with my family, but at least I have Oliver, my brother… Anyway, back to the point of this call! Can I just say that the wedding was every bit as tacky as I could have imagined. In some ways, I was disappointed not to be invited to your wedding - however, had I been at that one, I would have spent half my time in hysterics. By the way, Principal Carmichael has seen the video from what I am told, and before you ask, I have no idea who forwarded it to him. All I know for sure is that it wasn't me, David or Mercedes, who both send their congratulations, by the way. My source informs me that he thinks it might rank up there with the 'Slushie Incident' and the 'Gap Attack' in terms of things done by the Warblers that they ought not to have done. Expect a lecture next time that you return to Dalton. Finally, according to Santana, Artie wants to know if you would be willing to sell the rights to your wedding video as he thinks it would make a great basis for a short comedy film…."

"I will give Artie the rights. I have seen the video, and I have to admit that it is far from my finest hour. I will make it up to everyone though, and between you and me, I already have started to plan how. Don't repeat this to anyone yet, but Dave and I will be renewing our vows in New York at Christmas, so don't make any other plans. I want everyone to be there for the wedding I wanted, and you all expected."

"So, no Elvis then?"

"No Elvis."

"Well, that would make amends for everything. Just remember, Principal Carmichael will expect an invitation, because for some reason, he likes you. Ok, before I go, congratulations on your marriage, Sebastian. When I think back to how you were - well I never expected the day would come when you would be married and settled, if I am honest. The fact is, you and Dave work, and I freely admit that I am more than a little jealous…but yes, my congratulations to you both."

"Thanks Thad. Mr Karofsky-Smythe and I both really appreciate it."

"Name noted and approved. I will let you go and spend time with your brother. Say hi to Dave for me," and with those words, Thad rang off.

When Sebastian rejoined his husband - that still sounded so strange in his head, but so right at the same time - his brother and his father-in-law, they all looked at him in anticipation. "It wasn't anywhere as bad as I had feared. Thad seems to be a lot more chilled out these days. I think that he accepts now that in life, things happen over which we have no control, and at least we were engaged. He did admit though that he was jealous - I hadn't realised until now just how hard the end of this month is going to be for him…"

Dave nodded, as he too remembered the significance. "Of course! It will have been a year since Wes… it will technically have been a year since Nick and Jeff got married, but from what I gather, they are just going to ignore that fact. They must be one of the few married couples in the world that want to forget their wedding anniversary. I guess that I ought to make a note of yesterday's date though…"

"Actually, brother-in-law," began Julian, "you got married after midnight, so it would be today that you need to make a note of. I have no idea about any of the other stuff you are talking about though. Anyway, enough with the sitting around; it is your last day in Vegas, and I intend to see that you enjoy it - soberly!"

"Yeah, we should. Wes would thoroughly approve of that, god rest him. Well, big bro, this is your home town, so show us the best that it has!"

Julian proceeded to do his best. Under the glare of the sun, then that of the neon lights, the four of them talked and laughed. At a quiet moment, Dave took Julian off to one side and told him all about Wes, knowing that even talking about the events of that day made Sebastian upset. Once he had been informed, he could see why their two friends would not wish to celebrate their wedding day.

At the end of the day, they made their way back to the hotel, and stood for a while in the lobby, chatting. As they did so, one of the staff approached Sebastian, and told him that he had forgotten to pick up all of his winnings from the previous night. This confused him at first, as he had found $100 in notes alongside a gambling chip stuffed into his jacket pocket that morning. The young lady smiled, and reminded him that as they had left the hotel in the early hours, he had given another chip to the young lady that had been handing out the free drinks, and had told her to place it on his lucky number for him; she had done so, and it had come in. he had another chip to collect, this time one worth $100. Dave burst out laughing, whilst Julian just shook his head at the fact that his brother seemed to have an uncanny knack for the roulette wheel, even when he wasn't watching it. Sebastian for his part just looked at the token that she now handed him in disbelief. He did not want to head back into the casino and play again - it was very tempting, but he was sure that his beginners luck would have run out.

So he decided that as he was already up in terms of cash, he would hand the chip over to his husband instead. "Dave, in the best tradition of marriage, and of joint property, I want you to take this and use it however you wish; if you win, it is yours; if you lose, then it doesn't matter…"

"I don't know Sebby - after all, you are the one that seems to have all the luck."

"I know - I mean, I got you for a husband, didn't I? But no, it is your turn to try, as you have your own luck too. Go on, use it for me…"

Dave smiled, and then, with the others in tow, he headed through the doors to the casino. After a few moments of deliberation, he headed for the slot machines. For a moment, his three companions wondered, in slight dread, just how long it would take to insert 400 quarters into a slot machine; Paul actually shuddered at the prospect. Then they all saw where Dave was headed - a large machine with the word MEGABUCKS emblazoned on the side of it; a slot which requires a $100 chip; and a potential jackpot of a million dollars. "Ok, Sebby, you said that I could waste it, and I don't want to spend hours in here inserting quarters. So, here goes…" In a moment, he had inserted the chip, and then he headed for the handle…

Half an hour later, they were all sitting in the restaurant again, the four of them gathered around the table on which sat a complimentary pot of coffee, a dish of petits fours, and a cheque, payable to Dave Karofsky, for the sum of $1 million. The moment that the final reel had clicked into place; the klaxon had sounded; the lights had flashed; they had all frozen, and it had taken some time for the full reality of the situation to dawn. Their collective luck had not run out. Dave was still in shock - he had just become a millionaire. He had tried to tell Sebastian that the money was his - after all, it was his chip - but he was adamant. "You chose the machine, Dave. You pulled the handle. Anyway we are married, so what's mine is yours, and vice versa. We are nearly up there with Nick and Jeff in the wealth stakes now, and that is down to your choice. I guess we are each others luck." Now, as Dave sat at the table and stared into his husbands sparkling green eyes, he couldn't help but think that he was one of the luckiest men on earth…

It was another early start for them all the following day - the flight back to New York was fairly long, and with the three hour time difference, it would be early in the evening by the time that they got home. Paul's flight left first, and Sebastian wished his 'dad' a safe flight home, and gave him a hug, then stood back as Dave did the same, and promises were made to call each other very soon. Paul had still not called his estranged wife, and wasn't exactly looking forward to it, knowing exactly how she would react. They watched as he disappeared through security, then went to check-in for their own flight. Dave got a big hug from Julian, and gave it back with the greatest of pleasure. "You see and take care of my little Bazzy, ok? He is the only member of my family that I really care about, apart from my son; I've just got him back, and I need him to be safe and happy."

"I'll do my best, but he is a risk taker at times; until you meet Santana, you really won't know just how much…" replied Dave.

Julian laughed, then turned to his brother, and found that he looked to be on the verge of tears. "Now, don't you dare start crying on me Bazzy, or I will start, and there is nothing more embarrassing and unattractive than two grown men sobbing in each others arms at check-in."

"I can't help it Jules," sniffed Sebastian. "I didn't realise until now just how much I have missed having you around. I hate dad for making you stay away; I hate my mom for letting him do it; and I hate myself for not getting in touch so much sooner…"

"Hey, there is fault on both sides - I could have fought much harder to see you rather than just lying back and accepting it. But the past is the past. We can't change it, we have to live for the here and now. I have you back, and I am not going to let you go; in fact. You are probably going to get sick of me…"

"Or vice versa Jules… Look, I will call you tomorrow, ok. If I Skype at about 9pm in NYC, then it will be about 6pm here, if that's ok…"

"It's more than ok. I shall be waiting impatiently for your call! Now go on, go and get checked in. Take care of yourself little bro, and of Dave and Bugs…"

"Hey, Bugs is not leaving me now either, although I will no doubt get such a ribbing for him…anyway, me and Dave got you something, a little thank you gift. It wasn't easy to find, but it is amazing what you can find these days in a thrift shop…" Sebastian nodded to Dave, who pulled a box out of his flight bag, and handed it to his husband, who passed it on to his brother. Julian looked at it curiously, and then untied the string that was holding it closed, lifted the lid, and revealed… "He's not exactly the same as Bugs, but they are almost identical. I thought that now Bugs is back with me, you might appreciate a toy rabbit of your own for good luck - I kind of christened him Thumper…"

Julian laughed, and then swiped hard at the tears that had formed in his eyes. "He's lovely Bazzy, but darn it, you made me cry!"

"That makes two of us," replied Sebastian, his own tears rolling down his cheeks. The subsequent hug that they shared was long and deep, neither of them caring about what those passing by thought, and when eventually they broke apart, Julian stayed on the concourse until with a final wave, his brother and Dave had disappeared through the security gates.

On the flight home, Dave was quite content to allow Sebastian to lean on his shoulder all the way, and was not in the least surprised to find that having been placed in Sebastian's flight bag, Bugs joined them, tucked safely between them in their seats. They had gone to Las Vegas not knowing what to expect, not sure if the broken brotherly bond could be restored; but it had been to such an extent that Dave was jealous, given his own status as an only child. Then again, Julian had not treated him any differently than Sebastian, so he was hopeful that having a brother-in-law would be just as good. And he was married, too. That had not been planned, if truth be told, for quite a while, but Dave would not change the events of the last few days for the world. As Kurt had told him as he lay in a hospital bed all those years ago, his future did contain a husband; and one day, he hoped, there would also be a son that would play with Bugs, and love him every bit as much as his Daddy had done.


	55. Reception in New York

**Reception in New York**

It was nearly seven in the evening before Dave and Sebastian got back to Murray Hill. They had arrived on time at Newark, but then there had been a delay on the train back to New York, and then they found themselves fighting against the Friday night crowds at Penn Station. They arrived back to their empty apartment below an empty house. Cooper would be in his dressing room at the theatre, preparing for his show, and Grace would be there too, probably sharing a quick spot of dinner with him, as was there habit on a Friday. Sebastian had not even attempted to carry Dave over the threshold, and he had not even considered doing it to Sebastian. They left the bulk of their unpacking until later, but with due ceremony Sebastian carried Bugs from where he had been lying in his cabin bag, and set him up on his nightstand. This done, he pulled his husband into a passionate kiss. They were interrupted by the buzzing of Sebastian's phone. Dave pulled away, and said, "So, dinner. As I see it, we have three options - we can face the music now, and head to the diner; we can call for a takeaway; or we can eat pasta here with a very basic jar of sauce."

"Actually, my love," Sebastian said, looking up from his phone, "we have no options. Nick has finally sent me a text. He and Jeff want to see us right now, at the diner. That music you were talking about - it has just started to play…"

When they arrived at the diner, the first thing that they did was pause at the door and take a deep breath. "Ready?" said Sebastian. Dave gave a nod, and they walked in, to find the place busy, but silent. There was no-one up on the stage singing, which for that time on a Friday night was more than a little unusual. A quick glance around revealed no sign of either Nick or Jeff for that matter…

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Meerkat. And the new Mrs Meerkat."

Sebastian had been expecting Santana to be there, so he turned round and replied "Hello to you too, Satan. Firstly, my husband is certainly not a woman by any stretch of the imagination. Secondly, if Nick is here, could you please tell him that we have arrived?"

"I haven't seen Nick, but to be honest, that doesn't mean he isn't here… Look, I apologise for the dig, but you'd have been worried if I hadn't said it. I guess I want to say congratulations. I am very happy for you both - and the fact that your wedding video was the funniest thing that I have seen in a long time just makes me all the happier for you."

"Well, you wouldn't be wrong about the video. It was hardly my finest performance, and that is why I am intending to have another attempt at it…"

"Hopefully still to Dave…"

"Obviously! He is the love of my life; my Brittany."

"Aww bless! Well, on another note, Carmen also agrees that your video wasn't your finest hour…" Santana paused to let Sebastian groan "…but she admitted that for a comedic turn, it was quite good. Anyway, as for day to day life, you've not missed much - it's been quiet…" As she said this, Dave nodded, and behind them, on the stage, Santana saw the arm emerge from the side of the stage, and give a thumbs up.

"Yeah," said Sebastian, "but knowing this place, that could change at any minute."

"Oh," said Santana, unable to stop her face breaking into a grin, "it just might." With that, she snapped her fingers…

Suddenly there was loud music from the stage, which caused the two young men to spin round. Sebastian groaned as he instantly recognised the tune. He should have expected it, of course. He covered his face with his hands as the introduction to _Viva Las Vegas_ continued to play. Thus it was that he missed Thad suddenly leap out onto the stage, dressed in his Dalton blazer with the collar turned up, and his hair styled up into as close an approximation of a quiff as possible. When he started to sing though, Sebastian instantly recognised the voice; he uncovered his eyes, still barely believing he was there, and then started to laugh at the way the Head Warbler was dressed. At his side, Dave stood in stunned silence. Had Thad really flown all the way across the country to sing for them? Then, at the first chorus, he saw that it wasn't just Thad.

Sebastian stood in awe as he saw Beats, Flint, Ethan, Drew, Mitch and David, all similarly attired, appear behind Thad to back him. The latter of them was wearing a ridiculous Elvis wig, owing to the shortness of his own hair - and the sight of that made Sebastian howl with laughter. At his side, Dave was also unable to keep a straight face, and Santana found herself battling to keep her composure. From their vantage point at the kitchen door, Marley, Kitty, Brittany and Ryder had lost that battle long ago. By the time that the last Viva Las Vegas! was sung, most of the diner was ringing with the sound of laughter. Then the applause came, started by Sebastian, who walked towards the stage to where his seven friends stood, turning down their collars, and in David's case, removing his wig. "I can't believe this - all of you came here tonight, just to sing to me?"

"Well, we were denied attendance at the wedding, thankfully," said Thad, "so we all kind of thought that we would make tonight a sort of reception for you. It wasn't easy to organise, at such short notice, but as Head Warbler, I do have to be able to deal with things at the last minute, although we may have a few disappointed patrons in Princeton tonight…"

"We told you Thad - we are getting a train at Penn just after ten, and will be on stage for them at midnight," said Beats, getting a laugh. "We can catch up with the newlyweds another day."

"Well, there is something that we have to tell you all…" began Sebastian.

"Please tell me you haven't had an annulment…" said Drew, his face all serious.

"Err, no, never! But we do intend to renew our vows at Christmas, and you are all invited, which you should have been in the first place."

"That's great," said Mitch; then he turned to Thad and stage whispered "I told you he would still want wedding presents…" getting another laugh.

"So, it's great to see all of you, but I can't help but notice…where are Nick, Jeff and Trent?" said Sebastian.

David walked forward and put an arm around his shoulder. "Well, the three of them were really upset with you about this. They couldn't believe that you would do something like this to them, your best friends. Before you say anything, they won't accept being drunk as an excuse either."

"They said as much to me too," said Flint. "Trent has been crying on and off since he found out…" He paused as he saw Sebastian had gone quite pale, and that Dave looked upset too. "As for Niff, well they both agreed that what you had done to them verged on the criminal, and that you should be put in the jailhouse…"

With that word, the music started up again. Sebastian turned back to the stage and his heart leapt in happiness as he saw the three young men in question walk out onto the stage, accompanied by Seth, Luke, Duncan, Sam, Mike and Rory, whilst alongside them, Artie wheeled himself out onto the stage, and proceeded to sing _Jailhouse Rock._ Sebastian smiled as he heard the familiar words - and positively grinned when he heard Artie change part of the lyrics and sing ' _Number Six turned and said to Number Three, you're the cutest jailbird I ever did see'_ as Nick and Jeff moved to dance together at the front of the stage. Once again, when they had finished, they received a long round of applause.

Sebastian was by now smiling broadly, but he could see that there was still a look of hurt on the faces of some of his closest friends. So, taking Dave by the hand, he made his way up onto the stage, and took the spot at the microphone that had just been vacated by Artie. He had raised his hand and given him five as they had passed each other on stage, his smile just as broad as Sebastian's own. He held up his hand, and the diner fell silent as he began to speak.

"Well, this was unexpected - but at the same time, entirely predictable. For those of you that merely came in her to eat and have no clue as to what is going on, these mad guys are my closest friends, and I have just returned from a visit to Vegas, just in case some of you hadn't managed to work it out… Now, they say that what happens in Vegas stays there - well, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, that is no longer true - and the fact that I was extremely inebriated at the time just made my filter even lower. This wonderful guy standing next to me is Dave Karofsky, and we have been dating for nearly eighteen months; have been engaged for almost a year of that, though the first few months we kept it a big secret. And in the early hours of yesterday morning, whilst we were much the worse the wear for drink, we got married. Now, as the ceremony took place in the early hours in Las Vegas, it was…"

"Tacky!" screamed Santana.

"Tawdry!" yelled Thad.

"Elvistastic!" said Sam.

"I'm not sure that the last one of those is even a word, Sam. Yeah, my idol, Elvis, did make an appearance… I'd actually only gone to Vegas to reconnect with my elder half-brother, Julian. I know that for most of my friends, his existence will come as a surprise, as you all thought I was an only child. Let us just say that the actions of parents can cause siblings to drift apart; in the case of me and Jules, we were forced apart by the actions of my father. It turns out that I also have a nephew… It's been quite a week really! All that matters here is that I love Dave and he loves me. There was no mad dash the following morning to the authorities for an annulment, and the only guilt that I feel is that I didn't have my friends there at my side; all of them. That is my only regret about becoming Sebastian Karofsky-Smythe."

He paused for a moment to let the news of his new name sink in. There seemed to be genuine approval of their choice from everyone, particularly those that he could hear whispering the alternative quietly to themselves. "So, I know that I have to make some kind of amends to all of you for getting married on the quiet - and also, I do kind of want to have the big wedding of my dreams! I know, I'm greedy! But the fact is, I always pictured sharing my big day with my friends. To that end, Dave and I have decided that we will renew our vows at Christmas, and all of our friends will be invited this time round. The idea of a winter wedding, with soft candle light, and maybe even snow on the ground does appeal to both of us. You will also all get the opportunity to meet my big brother, and hopefully, my nephew. I know that will particularly appeal to Santana, as she has always loved interrogating people about the past of her friends… I hereby give her freedom to do so, as after all, I will take great pleasure in doing the same thing with her family at her wedding."

"Number one, who says you are invited, and number two, they will all have been warned to say nothing!" the lady in question shouted in response, getting a laugh from everyone.

"So, that is our plan… I only hope that it can go some way towards earning me the forgiveness of my three best friends, who all had proper, planned weddings. I hope so, because I will need the help of my fellow musketeers to organise my own…" He looked over to the spot where they were standing in a group, and was pleased to see they were all smiles now. "So, anyway, that's enough from me. Time to let you all get back to the normal entertainment."

"We agree," said Thad, "but not before you sing something for us. After all, you do have a pretty good voice, and we would all love to hear you sing…."

There were shouts of encouragement from around the diner, not just from his friends, but from random customers too. "I'd love to hear you sing too, husband of mine," Dave whispered in his ear, and he nodded, and held up his hands once more for silence.

"Right, enough already! It would be churlish of me to say the least to deny you your wishes, but I just might have done, had it not been for the fact that my husband is demanding that I join in. So, this one is for you, Dave - the man that I first met when he was confused and hurt, who has grown into a confident, proud hunk of a man. In the best tradition of the Warblers, I will sing this without backing, but if any of you guys feel like backing me up, I am not going to refuse your assistance." Sebastian then turned his gaze entirely onto Dave, and began to sing _Love Me Tender_. As he had expected, the other Warblers quickly joined in in the background, and by the time that he had finished the song, there was barely a dry eye in the room.

The remainder of the evening passed in a bit of a blur for the Karofsky-Smythe's. They found themselves as the centre of attention for the rest of the evening, as all of their friends wished to congratulate them in person, starting with Beats and Flint, who had to rush away and catch a train. There was more singing, naturally, with more than a few songs from the King himself being sung. Even Dave was persuaded to get up and sing, dedicating his performance of _Teddy Bear_ to his new husband, getting them both a lot of smiles, as it also allowed those in the know to recall the vows that they had made to each other at the same time. Sebastian also managed to find a moment to go up and speak to Jeff one-on-one, in one of the few moments that Nick was not at his side, and make an apology.

"Ok, Seb, what exactly do you need to apologise specifically to me for? You haven't done something that is going to end up hurting Nicky, have you?"

"No, don't fret, your husband is safe. This is all about the way that I mocked you last year when you came home from your first visit to your aunts' with Georgie Bear. I treated you as if you were an immature idiot for being so happy to get him back, and I shouldn't have done."

"It's ok, Sebastian. You did have a point; after all, I am a grown man, and it was really only sentimentality."

"Yeah, but actually - the reason that I have to apologise is that on Monday night, Julian reunited me with my toy rabbit, Bugs, and I kind of reacted in exactly the same way as you did, to the extent of also bringing him home with me and putting him in pride of place in our bedroom…." He produced his phone, and showed Jeff a photo on his phone of Bugs, sitting on his night stand, taken only a couple of hours earlier.

"Bugs as in Bunny, of course; rather predictable, but with those long ears, just right."

"Julian saved him from being torn apart and chucked into the garbage by my dad when I was nine, just as your aunt rescued your bear for you. I guess that I am as big a softy as you when it comes down to it, blondie…"

Jeff laughed, blushing slightly. "Don't worry, Seb, your secret is safe with me - and thanks for the apology, I do appreciate it." He saw Nick approaching from the corner of his eye, and changed the subject with a wink to his friend. Sebastian knew that Nick at least would know all about Bugs by the end of the week, but it didn't matter. He was sure that all of his true friends would understand.

Just before 11pm, as Dave and Sebastian had begun to discuss heading home, as some of their friends already had, or even about heading to the club to celebrate their marriage in style, the door opened and admitted Cooper, accompanied by Grace; Rachel came in behind them, having met up with the couple on the subway. Cooper headed straight for Dave and Sebastian, and the two of them braced themselves for a lecture. "Honestly, we let you out of our sight for a few days, and you go and get married in a chapel in Vegas by Elvis… I am guessing that you ended up there because someone wanted to see Elvis, and where better to find him than at his little chapel? What can I say; I guess that Grace will have to start on the rewording of your tenancy agreement for the apartment this weekend, and then she will have to alter the wording on the share you have of this place. But just now, all of that can wait. I just want to say how pleased I am for the pair of you, and to wish you all the happiness in the world, because I think that you deserve it. I would propose a toast, but we have no champagne, and this place has no liquor licence…"

"Plus, given the video evidence, I think that you both might have sworn off alcohol for a very long time," said Grace with a smile.

Rachel had been silent up to that point, but now she let out a sigh, and began to speak. "I still think that you should have had more sense, but as long as you are happy, I wish you a long life together. I have to say it though - why is it only the gay couples that are getting married? Why do straight men seem to be more content to ignore the concept of a long term commitment?" Her words did set them all thinking, as what she had just said was true…

Those that remained at the diner by that time did end up following Dave and Sebastian to the club, more or less. Cooper and Rachel both had shows the following day, and so they, along with Grace, had no option but to go home and sleep. The others were up for it though, and so they all spent a few hours dancing to the beat, and generally having fun. It was brought to the attention of the DJ that there were a couple of newlyweds in, and he dedicated a song to them - _A Little Less Conversation_. When it came on, Santana could think of only one thing to say, and she was rather nonplussed when Kitty, with a grin, said it first. It did serve to remind Sebastian that he and Dave had had no official wedding night, judging by the fact that they were both fully dressed when they woke up in the hotel. So after a few hours fun with their friends, they took a cab home, and let themselves in to the peace and quiet of their little apartment. "So, now we are alone, how about a little spot of consummating?" said Sebastian with a smirk.

"I thought that you would never ask," said Dave, and practically dragged Sebastian to the bedroom…


	56. New Beginnings and Remembering

**New Beginnings and Remembering**

After three weddings in the space of two weeks, the rest of August seemed quiet in comparison. Thoughts that had begun to drift towards the start of a new school year now had to focus on it in much sharper relief. This meant that in the middle of the month, Seth arrived in the city to take up permanent residence in the second bedroom of Luke and Duncan's little apartment. The young man had only met his future roommates on a few occasions, the first of which had been at Nick and Jeff's wedding, but he liked what he knew about them, and did not anticipate any issues. It had been at Trent's wedding that he accepted an invitation to move in with them; until then, he had been desperately scouring the internet as his first day at school drew near. Now that he was settled, he was happy - and had been able to laugh it off when Sebastian reminded him that Luke was a miniature, more hyperactive version of Jeff and that he wished him all the luck in the world… It had been a joke of course, but it had stuck in the back of Seth's head. He could recall just how happy, loud and bouncy Jeff could be from Dalton; if Luke was worse than him…

All such fears ended the moment that he pulled up outside the apartment, having been driven down from Ohio by his mom. His two roommates had been waiting for them on the sidewalk, and had been the very picture of dapper, well-mannered, polite young gentlemen for her. They refused to allow her to carry anything heavy up to the apartment - instead Duncan escorted her upstairs, and showed her round the spotless apartment, something which she could only marvel on. He then made her sit in the living room with a pot of tea and a plate of homemade cookies whilst he went to help the other two. Seth had not brought much with him, as the apartment was fully furnished; a couple of cases of clothes; some bedding and towels; a few boxes of books and papers, and the inevitable collection of electronic devices. By the time that his mom left two hours later, his room was more or less set up, and she went away content in the knowledge that although her son was going to be living relatively far from home, at least he would be doing so in a civilised environment.

Naturally, the arrangements she had seen were artificial. The moment that she was gone, the dirty crockery was taken back out of the cupboard and placed in the sink once more, and all the untidy clutter that had just been stuffed between the sofa and the wall was dug out and scattered around once more. Seth watched bemused for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Thank goodness for that! I was beginning to think that I was going to be spending all my spare time keeping up to your exacting standards!"

"We like to think that we live somewhere between Martha Stewart and run down slum. We keep the place tidy, but sometimes, there is clutter. We do the dishes, but not necessarily straight away," said Luke with a grin, as he pulled off his tie and untucked his shirt.

"At the same time though, we don't leave the dishes until there are no clean ones left either" said Duncan with a smile, as he too made himself more comfortable by slipping off his tidy boat shoes. "We keep the bathroom fresh and clean at all times. We sweep and wash down the landing on our rota day. We try to be good neighbours, so there are no parties and no loud music."

"That is fine by me. Any other rules that I should know about?"

"Well, we want you to be comfortable living here," began Luke, "but at the same time…"

"It is your home too, and you are a couple. Don't worry about it. I lived in dorms and saw Colin and Edward making out all the time. I am not phased by PDA."

"True, but we do promise not to let ourselves get too carried away in the living room or the kitchen. And we won't walk around the house naked either," said Luke. A twinkle in his eye told Seth that he and Duncan had already gone quite far in those rooms in any case.

Seth smiled, and replied, "Look, like I say guys, this is your home too, and I don't want to put a dampener on your enjoyment of it. I am going to have to find a job, so the two of you can enjoy 'date night' when I am at work. I also have no real issue with nudity - I did go to an all boys school after all, so if you want to walk around the place naked, then it isn't a problem. I might even join you…" As Duncan snickered and Luke laughed, Seth blushed, and added, "In being naked, not in…"

"We know, Seth, we just couldn't help ourselves," said Duncan.

"Well, I could have worded it a bit better. So what do you say to spending an evening getting to know each other better…" He paused as once again the other two tried their hardest not to laugh. "I mean, find out each others likes and dislikes, all the family issues and the touchy stuff over a pizza? My mom might have left me a bit of extra money for a junk food blowout. Then in the morning, I can go out and start looking for a job, after we have made this place a little more presentable?"

Luke and Duncan looked at each other, and then the former said, "Seth Kennedy, I think that we are all going to get along fine with that kind of attitude! Here is to a long and happy time sharing rooms in Bushwick!"

Seth did indeed settle in quickly with Luke and Duncan, helped by the fact that they were all the same age and had the same tastes in food, music and film. The young couple quickly helped their new roommate to familiarise himself with the neighbourhood, showing him where the best takeaways were, and which bus to catch to the nearest big supermarket. They had pooled their money for grocery shopping, as Nick and Jeff did with Mike, and thus were able to take advantage of the better deals for bigger packs. It was Seth's idea though that they should get an account book, and the other two agreed, as long as he did it; they knew he was no slouch at math; without it, he would not be studying engineering. Their landlady was also very impressed with them, getting nothing but complimentary comments from the neighbours about their manners.

That also benefited them in the search for work. Duncan had taken a job at Wholefoods Market in Union Square, but after a week, had decided that the place was one of the gateways to hell; it was constantly busy, the customers were rude, and the price structure made his eyes water. Nonetheless, he stuck it out, knowing that he was the only one providing an income. That changed when Luke was offered the job at the diner, which he happily accepted. He was given it only after Michelle had assured everyone that whenever possible, he and Jeff would not be rostered on together. Seth's search remained fruitless, and Duncan said nothing to him when a vacancy came up at his place; he refused to inflict it upon him.

Then, one afternoon, Seth and Duncan were both at home when they received texts from Nick, asking them to get in touch ASAP. Seth quickly called him, and Nick told him all about what had just happened at the Law Library. His boss had come storming out of the office in a foul mood, and when Nick asked him if he was ok, he told him that two of his colleagues had just called up to say that they were quitting, effective immediately. With the students due back in town, this was a disaster, leaving him with a massive hole in the rosters, and little chance of finding anyone to replace them at such short notice. Nick had asked him to give him five minutes as he might be able to help… Duncan and Seth presented themselves at the Law Library within ninety minutes of Nick's call, went in for a quick interview, and by the end of the week, the two of them had joined Nick on the staff. It hadn't hurt Nick either, as he had earned himself a lot of brownie points with his boss.

As the end of August came into sight, the minds of all the Warblers and the majority of the New Directions began to focus on something else. None of them could forget what they had been doing the previous year at that time. They had all been gathering in the city, getting ready for a big moment in Warbler history. The big difference a year on was that one key and vital person was missing… Thus when Nick and Jeff woke up on the second last Sunday of the month, they did not wish each other a happy anniversary; no cards were exchanged, and no paper gifts were given. They had long ago decided that it would be completely wrong to celebrate their happy marriage one day, and then have to deal with the anniversary of Wes' death the following day. They knew that he was still around; was not really dead to them; but to the rest of the world, he was. True, Mitch had begun to be able to hear him now, ever since that moment at Trent's wedding, but to Gabriel, Connor and Louis, his Warbler Council, he was gone, and that was cause for great sadness in the Warbler world. No formal gathering had been planned to mark the day; it was after all just another Monday, and for some, it would be the first day back at school after the summer. Trent was grateful for that, as it would give him a good distraction from thoughts of that moment…

Mercedes had her own worries as the anniversary approached. She could recall all to vividly how David had fallen to pieces in the aftermath, and how long a process it had been to put him back together. Her memories of how he had barely functioned still haunted her, and even now, he still had moments of silence when his eyes would fill with tears, and all she could do then was hold him to her. She knew why it had hit him so badly now, and she understood. She knew that Wes had decided that it would be best if he stayed away that day, but she had overheard him when he announced to David that he was sending a substitute that he termed 'the real thing.' When they noticed her presence, David had been left with no option other than to tell her the truth; that since Christmas, he had been receiving periodic visits from his brother Simon, that he would love to meet her, and if she was free and came over on the 24th, then she could. She accepted, but the idea left her nervous. She had four angels in her life, but she had known them before death; Simon was a completely new quantity, and she only hoped that she would not mess it up.

On the morning of the 23rd, she was woken up early by a call from David. "He's gone. Thad. He's left me a note to say that he is ok, that he isn't going to do anything silly, and that he just wants to be alone. I am worried though, because if he was going to do something, then that is exactly what he would write!"

"I think he will be fine, Davie," she replied. "If we checked, we would probably find that he has taken a flight to Ohio, and will be going to Dalton to go and mourn Wes at his grave, as people would expect. He also knows that if he had told you what he was intending, you would have insisted on going with him. Tomorrow is going to be a big deal for both of you - and he probably doesn't want to risk his grief setting you off or making you worse. He has done this because he cares for you. Trust me, he will be back on Tuesday, all smiles…"

On that Monday morning, all of the Warblers fell silent and stopped what they were doing as the hands of the clock drew near that fateful hour. For Drew, back in Oxford, and the sole Warbler of his generation not in the United States, it was a lonely moment as the clock moved towards 13.47; then, with about two minutes to go, he heard a small bing from his laptop, and on checking, saw that he had a Skype request from Ethan. He accepted it at once, and saw his best friend, sitting with Beats and Flint in Princeton. "We just thought that you might like some company," Ethan said quietly, and Drew could only nod in gratitude.

In L.A., Mercedes had stayed over, grateful for the absence of Thad, as it meant that she could concentrate all of her love and affection on David. She woke up at 5.15, and made her way to the lounge to discover David already sitting there. She wasn't completely sure he had even been to bed, and if he had been, if he had slept. She took a seat next to him as he sat and stared at the table, where he had placed a lit candle next to a photograph of himself and Wes. They did not speak; she just leaned into his side and placed an arm around his shoulders. He sighed and took her other hand, holding it tightly. He was not in the depths of misery as he had been last year, but even now, she could feel the pain that lingered forever in one corner of his heart. Suddenly, she became aware of a draught, and looked up to see an angel standing there, who looked so very familiar; she realised at once that it had to be Simon. He smiled right back to her, and spoke quietly. "Well, you hit the jackpot with Mercedes, little brother. She is beautiful."

David smiled at his brother, then turned to Mercedes, and replied, "Yes, she is… She is the only woman in the world that I could ever love. She is the only woman that I could ever marry, and I will, someday, when the time is right. That's if she will have me, of course…"

"I wouldn't want anyone else either, David. And yes, I will marry you. Not that my saying that means that we are engaged, at least not officially. Unofficially, however…" She smiled at him, and held his hand, and watched as a grin formed on David's lips. He knew know that she was committed to him, and that the two of them had a long future together.

In New York, a small group assembled at the diner, and sat quietly amongst the rush of breakfast time on a Monday. Nick, Jeff, Sebastian and Seth had been joined by Mike, Dave and Michelle around a table, sitting in silent contemplation of a brother, a friend, a cousin. Santana kept an eye on her watch, knowing that as soon as it hit 8.46, she would stop serving and make her way over to join them; after all, she missed Wes as much as the rest of them. As for Trent, he found himself sitting on a bench outside the Library at George Washington, with Burt and Rory on either side of him as the time approached. He had fully intended to be alone, but Rory had just known that his heart would be breaking that morning, and so he had refused to allow him to leave for school without him at his side. Trent was glad of the company, as by the time it came to 8.47, his emotions were fraught. Then again, he was not the only one that felt that way, but for Wes, they kept their emotions in check. Nowhere more so than at Dalton Academy, where Skylar and Edward, now seniors, stood in the company of the other Warblers, Principal Lefvere, the Carmichaels, and naturally Colin in front of the official memorial, with candles lit, all of them wondering where Wes was, and what he was doing right now…


	57. Return to Harvard

**Return to Harvard**

As all the other Warblers flocked together, seeking comfort and solace from their friends, one of them sat alone. He had not, as Mercedes had surmised, travelled to Ohio, to sit at the grave on the hill above Dalton. After all, he knew that Wes was not actually there. No, Thad knew exactly where he needed to be at 8.47am on Monday, the 24th of August, 2015. He arrived at the spot at 8.30, the place far busier on a weekday morning than it had been the last time he was there, at the junction of Mount Auburn and John F Kennedy Streets in Harvard. He made his way to the spot on the sidewalk where the last time he had been there, a carpet of flowers had begun. Now, it was just a bare sidewalk, marked with dust and the detritus of the day. He did notice however that fixed to the wall there was a small plaque, which read _'Wes Montgomery, 1992 to 2014. Singing with the Angels.'_ Thad allowed himself a little smile at that; he had known that Angela had planned something, but until now, when he saw it, he had not known if she and his friends had managed to achieve their goal of a permanent marker.

He got a few funny stares as he sat himself down, legs crossed, on the sidewalk beneath the plaque, but they were mainly because people were hurrying to work, and wanted to know why he was blocking part of the sidewalk. Why he was clutching a single long stemmed, variegated red and yellow rose. He kept an eye on his watch as he sat there, ignoring the curses of the people passing by - and as the time came closer, the noise of the people and the traffic began to fade in his ears. He drowned it all out; closed his eyes, and when he did so, he could almost imagine Wes cycling down the road towards the spot on that Sunday morning; knowing full well that he was going to die, but blissfully unaware of when or how. Thad had promised himself that he would not cry, but as that image filled his head, a few rogue tears began to course down his cheeks…

"Thad?"

The single voice disturbed him from his reverie. He looked up, and saw a familiar figure, a lightweight jacket over the top of her diner uniform. He stood up, and allowed himself to be pulled into a hug. He should have known that Angela would be here; that she too would have come with a bunch of flowers for Wes. He looked at the time, and saw it was 8.46. He pulled out of the hug, and stood next to her instead, facing the plaque, their heads bowed in silence. At the exact moment that his watch ticked over to 8.47, he knelt down and laid his rose under the plaque; beside it, Angela laid her bouquet of flowers. It was only after she had done so that Thad realised for the first time that the two of them were not the only people who had come to mark the moment.

If Thad was being honest with himself, it was not that big a surprise to see that Gabriel had joined them and that Mitch was by his side was also unremarkable. It was the presence of both Connor and Louis that knocked Thad for six. He had last seen both of them at the memorial at Dalton last year, but his mind had been elsewhere that time; his mind preoccupied with what he had intended to do to himself later that day. He had not expected them to be here, or if he was honest, to have even recalled the date, but it seemed that he had been doing them both a disservice on that assumption.

"Hey Thad," said Gabriel, "We didn't expect anyone to be here. Mitch told us that nothing had been organised via the Skype forum, and so we decided that, given that we were all here, we would come along and pay tribute to him."

"I had always planned to be here," said Thad, "but I didn't want the others to feel obligated to be here, so I didn't even tell David that I was coming; just left him a note, headed to the airport - and here I am."

"Connor and Louis had come up to Boston this weekend for a bit of a reunion - and I will be honest, when I planned it, the date did not even ring a bell with me. It was only after everything had been sorted that I suddenly realised the significance… I guess we try and bury the bad things. I can recall the sea of flowers here the last time that I came to this spot - I saw all of you arrive, and I did think about coming over; but then I realised that none of you would remember me as I left before any of you had arrived at Dalton, so I left you to grieve in peace. I had already left a teddy bear with a Dalton tie on amongst the flowers; Wes never had one as a child…"

Thad smiled, and said "Well that solves the mystery; we did all wonder at the time who had brought that and left it! I actually bought Wes a teddy bear as a parting gift for the summer at the end of my freshman year, and when he got it, his face lit up. He would really have appreciated your sentiments…"

"So, out of curiosity," said Connor, "what is the significance of the rose?"

"It was the kind that he was wearing as his buttonhole at Nick and Jeff's wedding the day before he died. All the other groomsmen had either red or yellow, depending on the side they were on, but as Wes was on both sides, they specifically ordered him a mixed one. It was in his bag, pressed in a book, when I got it afterwards…"

They all fell silent again, heads bowed, as they imagined the chaos that had to have existed at that spot a year ago at the same time. Thad knew that two angels had been there, waiting for him, about to be shocked to the very core to discover that Wes had known he was going to die…

"Well, gentlemen, can I be so bold as to make a suggestion?" said Angela, breaking the silence. "Why don't you all make your way back with me to the diner, and I will get you all one of my breakfast bagels."

"Are we talking about the same one that Wes always mentioned in his E-mails?" said Louis.

"The exact same. So, what do you say?"

There was general agreement, and they all followed her. Had they turned back as they had left, one of them would have seen a figure lifting the rose to his nose to sniff it, his face beaming as he did so, his wings shining brilliant white in the sunshine…

When they arrived at the diner, Thad noticed him standing by the door, a broad smile on his face, mouthing his thanks to him. He smiled back, and instantly he had a plan. Once they had got inside, and had seated themselves at a table, Thad asked Angela if they could have a sixth bagel, done like all the others, exactly as Wes had liked them. The others looked at him quizzically, so he explained. "Wes was always so keen that we Warblers did things to help other people less fortunate than ourselves, and as we came in, I noticed a scruffy looking guy…"

"He is homeless, poor soul," said Angela. "He was at the back door earlier - we give him a sandwich every morning…"

"Well today, he can have a bagel too," said Thad. Angela nodded, and went to prepare their order. They arrived quickly, five of them on plates, and one of them in a paper bag. "I'll just go and hand it to him," said Thad, darting out before any of the others could suggest they come with him. He looked up the moment he got outside, and saw Wes still standing there, surveying the street. "Here," said Thad, making sure that nobody was observing him. "You can't say that I am not good to you!"

Wes took the bag, and one sniff was enough to tell him what was inside. He beamed with delight at Thad, and had to resist the urge to hug him. "Thank you so much, my little one. I shall enjoy this, and then I think I might just pop in and listen to them all talking about me…"

Thad stepped back into the diner, and took his place at the table once again. He picked up his bagel and took a bite, savouring the mix of flavours that had made them such a firm favourite for Wes.

"Do you know, I kind of feel like the odd one out here," said Mitch all of a sudden, causing the other four to stare at him. "Well," he continued, "I am the only person at this table who has not held the title of Head Warbler at some point; it is a bit like being an interloper at a manager's conference."

"Do you know, he is right," said Gabriel. "Of course, we are missing one of the lineage who was key to restoring the true meaning of our brotherhood - I mean, Wes bound his boys to him so tightly, and inspired so much loyalty to himself. I mean, apart from you three, how many other Warblers from my year at the helm am I in touch with? One… How many are you in touch with, Thad?"

"Well into double figures," Thad responded, unable to stop himself grinning.

"I rest my case. That is why I will readily admit that whilst Louis, Connor and I all held the title of Head Warbler as you do, Thad, Wes was **the** Head Warbler…"

"He was certainly a one off," said Connor, as Louis nodded in agreement, his mouth full. "Then again, he certainly loved his gavel. I mean, we all had one, but we rarely used it. I worked on the principle that the noise would die down eventually…"

"Whereas Wes, I have been told, was banging the gavel on the desk within seconds of it starting up," said Louis with a laugh. "In fact, I have heard it said that the only thing Wes loved more than his gavel was you, Thad…"

Thad blushed, then felt the familiar draught of wings in the room. Mitch did too, and smiled across the table at Thad. "Do you know what I would say to Wes if he where here right now?" said Mitch, with a wink to Thad.

"Careful - he may be listening in from wherever he is now," said Gabriel with a grin, causing Connor and Louis to laugh.

"I am positive that he is, which is why I have to say this. He wasn't just the best leader of a little band of brothers called the Warblers in years, he was the best friend in the world too. When you made a mistake he didn't chastise or blame you; he helped you to get back on track again. He loved each and every one of us - we all had a special place in his heart. He used to send me little messages during my freshman year at M.I.T., when he knew that I was struggling; giving me advice, and little bits of love that just made everything easier. I will never forgive myself for the way I betrayed my bird brothers the following year; I know it was largely down to pressure from my folks, but I should have stood up and said, 'They are my friends!' and ignored them…"

"He would be proud that you are rebuilding your links now," said Thad. "You came back; some of his birds have still stayed away from the fold, and I think for them it is too late now. He would be so happy that you found your way back amongst us."

"I couldn't agree more! Mitch, you have nothing left to be forgiven for. It is all water under the bridge now to me, and all of the others," said Wes, moving closer to the table, and standing right behind Thad.

Thad would later retell what happened next to the others with a grin. He heard a gasp from Mitch, in his seat immediately across the table from him. He looked up to see the man in question staring at him in shock and disbelief. But it wasn't just him; the other three were all sitting in stunned silence…

"Thad, did you hear that?" said Gabriel in a low shaky voice.

"Hear what?" said Thad innocently.

"Wes! I am sure that I just heard him talking to Mitch…and ok, Wes died, so it couldn't have been, but…"

"…it sounded so much like him," said Louis, who was as white as a sheet. "What he said was just what Wes would have said too…"

"Yes, it was," said Connor, who was shaking slightly, "But as Gabe says…"

"…I am dead, and therefore it could not possibly have been me!" said Wes, and Thad had to stifle a laugh as the three older men at the table jumped up, and started to look around the room in fright.

As they did so, Mitch leant forward, and grabbed Thad's hand. "Thad, he is right behind you. He is wearing a white shirt, a three piece grey suit with a handkerchief neatly folded in his breast pocket, and of course, his Dalton tie. Oh, and he has large white wings, with red and navy blue stripes at the tips. I can see him, Thad! I can see him…" Mitch said all of his words in a whisper, and then, having finished, he burst into tears. Thad reached over and placed his other had on top of his; his own smile was broad, delighted that Mitch had become a fully paid up member of the club, just as Michelle had, and by the looks of it…

The three older men had sat back down, but all looked a tad uncomfortable, all the worse for the fact that Mitch had started to cry. Then they heard his voice once more. "Mitch, please don't cry! I can explain what is going on here to all of you. Thad, my love, I think that you should go and get in another round of coffees. I think that my illustrious predecessors might just be in need of a drink, and that is the strongest kind that you can get in here…"

Thad headed up to the counter of the diner and ordered fresh coffee all round. As the lady on the counter made them, Angela headed over to him and said "Are those other boys with you ok? They seemed to get a bit upset about something, and they've all gone so pale."

"I think that the whole thing about Wes has just hit them properly for the first time when they are all here together, so close to where it happened. We were reminiscing about our time at Dalton with him, and it just got too much…" said Thad in reply.

"I know how they feel," she responded, her own face sad. "He was such a good, kind young man, with the whole of his life in front of him… More importantly, my dear, how are you feeling now? Be honest with me - I can spot lies a mile off."

"Honestly, I have good days when I can smile and my loss doesn't feel so great, but then there are those days when all I want to do is lie in my bed and cry; I am lucky in that I have good friends, and we get each other through things. I also believe that Wes is around somewhere, and he will be waiting for me when my time comes, whether that is in ten minutes or a hundred years. I know he will be there. I wasn't always so hopeful about such things, but now I know that I just have to bide my time until my turn comes along."

"I'm glad you have your friends, and your belief. When I first met you last year, you seemed so… I was worried then that you might end up doing something stupid…" Angela's voice trailed off as she saw the look on Thad's face as she said those words…

"I almost did, but I was stopped in time. Such ideas are firmly in the past now and forgotten."

"Good. I am glad to hear that. You are another nice young man - I knew that you had to be for Wes to love you as much as he did."

Thad smiled, and replied, "It is no wonder that Wes liked you so much either. You took care of him when he needed it, and I will always be grateful to you for that. Anyway, coffee is required. I will see you again, I am sure." Thad paid, and picked up the tray with the five coffees on it, and headed back to the table. He had some explaining to do.

He handed out the coffees, and almost laughed at the sight of Mitch's face, his eyes wide, and moist; a big smile on his face. As for the other three, the colour had come back into their cheeks, but they all had the same expression - one that said 'Get on with it!' "Ok, so yes, Wes is here right now. He was sitting in my chair whilst I was away, but now he is standing behind me, aren't you Wessie?"

Before Wes could speak, Louis interrupted. "Wait - how could you possibly know that he was sitting in your chair? I mean…unless… Are you trying to tell us that you can see him!?"

"Yes, I can. I have been able to see him since about three days after his death, although at first, that made it all a lot worse. But Wes dying is not where this whole story starts. No, it all begins two days after Thanksgiving in 2013; the day when a small group of Warblers made their way to what was styled as a Memorial for Kurt and Blaine. That was the night that it all started; the night that we were all able to see them again, and see them get married for that matter."

"So it isn't just Wes you can see - you can see other angels too?" said Connor, his eyes wide.

"Yes. That night the seven of us there - me, Wes, David, Nick, Jeff, Trent and Sebastian - all started to see them. It was strange; wonderful; scary - but I am so glad that I was there that night and given the opportunity; I saw Kurt and Blaine marry, as I said, in the presence of Kurt's equally dead stepbrother Finn, and his late mother too. After that, we would see them at random; David and I would be having a quiet night watching the television in L.A., and Blaine would come and join us, just like he used to do occasionally at Dalton. Of course, Niff wanted them at their wedding, and that created another issue; it would not work if only a few of us could see them, and so the group had to expand. The first person they started on was poor Beats - he couldn't understand why he was being plagued by first draughts, and then their voices, and in the end he told Flint he was going mad… To cut a long story short, the night before Niff's wedding, Beats, Flint, Ethan, Drew and the youngsters joined us in being able to see, as did Principal and Mrs Carmichael. At the time, we had no idea that it was the best thing that could ever have happened…"

"Because two days later, Wes died, and instead of him being lost to you all forever, you were all still able to see him around," said Gabriel quietly.

Thad nodded. "We can, but he isn't around all the time."

"Because I decided that it would not be a good thing for them all," said Wes. "I realised that if I was around all the time, they would never learn to become independent of me. They had to learn to use their own minds, and to call on each other in times of trouble, not just depend on me. That being said, I do appear in severe crises and for special occasions, like Trent's wedding."

"That approach sound very sensible," said Gabriel, with a sigh. "I hate to say this; can't believe that I am going to as it goes against all the rational thought that I have been taught to trust, but it doesn't feel wrong or strange for you to be here Wes. It was a shock to the system, but now I can accept it, and I like it."

"Same here," said Connor and Louis at the same time, which made them all laugh.

"It is a bit harder for me though," said Mitch. "I actually heard Wes at Trent's wedding, so that isn't new. The fact is, I can see him now, just as Thad can…"

The eyes of the three eldest turned to Mitch. "You can actually see… Thad, will we be able to see him too, one day?" said Gabriel, in a voice filled with hope.

"It looks like you might be able to Gabe," said Wes, with a grin. "The thing is though, I can't age, so my youthful beauty might be upsetting to you aging old men…"

"You cheeky…" began Louis, before he joined the others in laughing out loud.

After that, the conversation carried on. Wes sat and told his three former councilmen and Mitch all about his work with Elizabeth; he told them about the hard moments, describing to them all in detail his first solo collection, a job that he had only taken on to force Finn to sit down and take a break. It had left him feeling emotionally drained and he had spent that night with Kurt and Blaine, drinking in the support, comfort and empathy that they could give him. He noticed that when he was finished, all five of them were crying quietly; he placed his hand over Thad's discretely, so as not to freak Mitch out any more. He promptly changed the subject and told them instead all about his penthouse apartment in the heavenly New York, with its views over the beating heart of Manhattan; about his piano playing skills, honed as a result of Blaine's patient tuition; and about the joy about having one door in his new home in New York, and the other opening into the dorm corridor at Dalton, or at least, a perfect replica constructed by Kurt and Blaine of their mutual alma mater. "Heaven is all about the places and things that made you happy in life, so it was inevitable it would be there. The big difference is that I can now do things there that I would not have dared to do in real life; the first time that they showed me their Senior Commons, this time last year, I went straight in and sat, crossed legged, on the Council table."

There was a gasp of horror from around the table. "You did what!" said Gabriel. "That is the ultimate in wrong for Warblers!"

"I did it on my last day at Dalton," said Connor suddenly.

"One afternoon during finals," said Louis, in confessional tones.

"I'm appalled!" said Gabriel. "I did it just before the meeting where they made me Head Warbler…"

"And suddenly, I feel like the odd man out once again," said Mitch - before once again the table erupted with laughter. In the end, they only left because Thad had to catch a flight back to L.A., and Connor and Louis had to head home too.

"So I was thinking - we could do this again next year guys, if you felt up for it," said Gabriel. "Not the exact date, but the weekend before…" They all turned towards Thad, and he, after a moment's thought, nodded. Hopefully by then, Wes would be visible to all of them.


	58. A New Term Begins

**A New Term Begins**

That day in Princeton, after the three of them had observed a period of silence with Drew online, Ethan, Beats and Flint went back to the task of organising the last few things in their new apartment. They had not been looking forward to the task, and had expected that their search would be a long one, and that along the way, they would have to compromise on a lot of things. As it turned out, they had gone to look for a new place at just the right time. It had turned out that they could obtain the extra bedroom that they needed, have more living space, a better kitchen, a bathroom and a shower room. They could live closer to college, the station and even closer to the bar that two of them worked in at weekends, and still, by just being in the right place at the right time, pay less each than they had before. Had they walked into the agent's office an hour later, they would not have found it on the books anymore - it was the kind of place that let in less than a day. They had traded in a modern but draughty condo for a big old apartment in part of an old townhouse, and all three of them loved it from the moment they saw the photographs.

Beats loved the fact that it was on two levels, and he had managed to convince Ethan that he did not mind taking the slightly smaller bedroom on the basement level. Flint of course knew exactly why he wanted it - as well as having the shower room on the same level, thus virtually getting himself a private bathroom, there was a door that opened out into the garden, which had a separate access point. Thus Beats would be able to have people come and visit, and to sneak them in and out without Ethan ever having to even know they were there. People being Elliot, of course…

Ethan loved it for the older Victorian style architecture, which reminded him of the rooms he had been staying in whilst at Cambridge, a place that would always be in his heart. Flint like it for that reason too - and the fact that it was only a block from the apartment that Izzy would be staying in that year helped matters. The two of them had been for several dates since their first one in New York; he had even been invited to Sunday lunch with her family in Baltimore the day before; he had been glad that Séamus was there to offer him some moral support. He had found to his delight that the Bernstein's were a very happy family. Mr Bernstein reminded him of his own dad, Mrs Bernstein of Carole. He left with an invitation to join them again very soon. Everything about his budding relationship with Izzy seemed so right, and so far, they had hit none of the snags he might have anticipated. They had kissed - and boy, had there been electricity - but that was as far as it had gone, and indeed would go, and neither of them had any issue with that. Flint enjoyed her company too much to want to ruin things by rushing, and she was of the same mind. They both knew that this was something they wanted for the long term.

As for Beats, he was equally happy. His relationship with Elliot was not his first, but it was the most fulfilling he had ever had with anyone. Flint would always be his best friend, but Elliot was fast coming to occupy most of the space in his heart that was left for lovers. Beats had worried at first that the presence of Ethan would make things more difficult; that would partly be of his own making, of course - all he had to do was be open with him, as he had been with Flint, and there would be no issue. The placing of his room helped, and Flint had also done something to help him too. He had suggested that Ethan might wish to come with him to New York when he went to do his shifts at the diner, and to his delight, Ethan had agreed without any need for thought or hesitation, saying it would be good to catch up with his friends in the city on a regular basis, and he would most likely find them there. Thus the plan for the first semester of the new college year had been set out; Flint would take Ethan away to New York before Elliot arrived, and Beats would be free to enjoy himself in the company of the slightly older man that he could imagine himself spending the rest of his life with.

Nobody was expecting Ethan to help out at the diner - after all, he wasn't a partner, and Flint had only ever brought him along to leave the coast clear for Beats - and maybe in the hope that Ethan might just sing. However, on the first trip that they took together, when Flint put on his apron and took up his usual post at the coffee machine, he found his friend standing at his side, watching his every move intently. So Flint decided that he might as well show him how everything worked; the new machine was much simpler, unlike the old machine that he had mastered; he had a soft spot for it and still missed it and its idiosyncrasies. After the quick demonstration, he decided to let Ethan prepare a coffee for real… By the end of that first day, Ethan was able to handle the coffee machine as professionally as the rest of the staff - and he had been quick to offer to assist in other things too, whether it was assisting in taking the food out to the tables, or just the simple task of cleaning them up after the customers had left.

Ethan had decided to muck in with the others as he actually enjoyed the work; it made him feel more like a normal student in this day and age. His family was easily the wealthiest amongst all of the Warblers, and his allowance was generous. His father had told him that it would allow him to support himself through school without the need to get a part time job. That fact had made him feel so privileged, and he hated it. He didn't want to be the boy with the unlimited cheque book. The moment that he had been given access to his trust fund, he had instructed the lawyer that had been entrusted with it that he wished to donate half of the funds to charity, and he had done so, completely without the knowledge of his parents. When Wes had left him $500,000 in his will, he had been horrified, and he wished that he had been honest and told Wes just how wealthy he was. Afterwards, Wes had come to see him, and told him that he knew about his finances - like so many things at Dalton, Wes seemed to be privy to all the little secrets. He continued by explaining that if he had omitted him from the list of beneficiaries, then the others would have wanted to know why, and his financial status would have been revealed to them all. Ethan had to admit he had a point, and as a result, he had accepted his cheque from Grace Duval, when the will was finally approved, and then donated the whole amount, anonymously, to the scholarship fund at Dalton.

So for Ethan, being able to work in a diner, in an ordinary job, was fun, and no hardship at all. His only concern was the fact that he was now coming with Flint, instead of Beats. In the wake of the weakening of his bromance with Drew, he was worried that he might be coming between the two best friends and might have shattered their brotherly romance. On the contrary, both of them had reassured him that the opposite was the case, and that given they spent their weekends working together, it was healthy for them to have a little time apart. It seemed to be true, as Beats was always all smiles when he met them at the station on their return to Princeton after working a shift, or when Beats himself set off to do his own. If he had been a more suspicious person, he would have found it strange, that Beats seemed far too happy, and then there was the question of why he was at the station to meet them every time; but then again, Ethan Mackenzie was not Santana Lopez…

If she had noticed anything about the subtle changes that Michelle had made to the staff rosters to separate Beats and Flint, and ensure that Elliot worked when Beats was on, then she said nothing about it. In all likelihood though, this was probably because she had other things on her mind. As she had prepared for her second year at NYADA, she had been disturbed one afternoon to receive a phone call, asking her to attend a meeting with Carmen Tibideaux. She had panicked at first, worried that even with the good grades and reports that she had been given, she had been judged not good enough by the Dean, and that she was about to be cut from school. In fact, the first thing that Carmen told her was that she and Marley had tied in first place for the top female student in the first year; and that as such, she wanted both of them to take on an advisors role with the new freshman intake. Santana had agreed, both because the job interested her, and because it would give her an extra credit that would look very good on her graduation papers. She had taken the chance to inform Mme Tibideaux about the diner's plans for a talent competition, and hoped that she would approve of it. She did, all the more so when Santana informed her it was to be for all the schools in the city, not just NYADA.

It turned out that she and Marley were not the only ones chosen as advisors; there was a whole team, and amongst those involved where Sebastian, and to his great surprise, Sam. Indeed, he had been assigned even more responsibility, as he had been down a very difficult road to get to the place he was in now. Although he and Sebastian had not told anyone, and Carmen had agreed to keep it quiet, Sam had been top of the class overall… It was at their first group meeting as student assignments were handed out, that they all got a small shock - a very familiar name on the list. It came as quite a surprise, as the last they had all heard, Mason McCarthy had been heading to the West Coast with his girlfriend Jane.

Marley, as the youngest of them, was in the best position to make discrete enquiries amongst their mutual friends, and she found a source in Roderick. He told her that at the last minute, Jane had been contacted by her college and told that the course on which she had a place was now cancelled, as the professor in charge had died in an accident, and that unfortunately, all the alternative classes were already full. She had been able to obtain a spot on her second choice course at Yale, but that had left Mason with a place at college in San Francisco, but no girlfriend, or indeed, friendly faces nearer than Jake and Unique in L.A. Thus had begun a desperate search for an alternative place - Yale was not an option, and so he had begun to contact every possible school in New York. It had all been to no avail. In mid-July, he had ended up in tears one morning on Will Schuester's doorstep; he and Emma had calmed him down, and the latter had contacted NYADA, and begged. Whilst they had all been in Washington DC for Trent's wedding, Mason had been in New York, auditioning. He had been lucky; someone had dropped out, and Carmen had gave him their spot. He would be eternally grateful to her for giving him a chance, and allowing him to be near to his girlfriend.

The biggest problem for Mason with being a last minute arrival to a college in New York was finding somewhere to stay. All of the limited dorm accommodation at NYADA had already been taken up, and there was no way that he could afford to stay close to the college on his own. After a quick chat at the big loft, after rumours that he was considering the YMCA, they decided that they could offer him the use of their guest bedroom on a temporary basis until such time as he got himself fixed up, but that could only be short term. Even although they were now engaged, Brittany and Santana both still liked to have their own space, and there was no way whatsoever that Sam could move in with Rachel. Across the landing there had been discussions too, as a spare bed did exist in Mike's room - but Tina stayed in that when she came to visit. Much as Mike wanted to help, and much as both Nick and Jeff had no objection, they all agreed that it would hardly be fair of them to ask the poor boy to move out every time Tina came to stay - or even for him to sleep on the couch. After all, that was also often occupied by random Warblers paying a visit.

New of Mason's dilemma reached the ears of Grace from her brother one evening as the two of them had a catch up on the phone; she in turn mentioned it to Cooper in the passing one Sunday evening whilst they were out for dinner. The next day she woke up early to hear a noise in the attic, a part of the house that had been rewired, replumbed and replastered when Cooper had bought the house, but was not in regular use. She got out of bed, put on her robe, and on finding Cooper's bedroom empty, she climbed up the steep, narrow stair in search. She found her fiancé at one of the windows that faced out onto the street. She had never come up there before, and she was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was not the dark garret that she had been expecting. There were two good sized rooms at the back, which she had past on her way, and a generous family bathroom. Then there was the room that she had found him standing in - a large room with an en-suite bathroom.

He looked up, and saw her reflected in the window and smiled. "Sorry, Gracie, I did try and be quiet. This was always meant to be a nursery floor, or a new guest suite when I had kids; at the time I did all this, it wasn't something I even thought about very often really…so now, I was thinking…"

"That Mason could move in up here, even for a little while?" Cooper nodded, and she smiled. "I think that would be ok, CJ. I mean, from what I have been told he is a polite, well-mannered young man. We will need to get some paint on these walls though, and at least some rugs on the floorboards - and a bed of course, but yes, we could get in touch with him and see what he says…."

"I very much doubt that his answer will be no, Gracie. Of course, it does mean that we will see his girlfriend Jane here from time to time too; possibly his sister… I did hear that his friend Roderick is at NYU, but he is in a dorm."

"He will still come and visit, and who knows, if it all works out, maybe he will be moving in next…" Grace laughed at the expression on Cooper's face at that suggestion. She felt absolutely certain that next year the two boys would probably want to strike out on their own together, but if it did come to it, she wouldn't mind. It was still far to be early to be thinking of having kids of their own.

As Cooper had surmised, Mason had, on receiving his call suggesting that he could move in to his attic, left Bushwick within five minutes, and then virtually run all the way north from Union Square to Murray Hill. He was breathless when Grace opened the door to him, but he greeted her warmly, then did the same with Cooper. He then followed him up to the attic. Cooper was so busy in telling him about the room and what he was planning to do with it for him that he failed to notice that Mason had stopped on the threshold, and was, by the time he did look back round, crying. "It is so nice; much more than I could ever have hoped for. I am so grateful to you, Mr Hummel-Warbler for even considering this…"

"Firstly, it's Cooper; secondly, it is Nick that you have to thank as he was the one that told my fiancée, his sister, about your plight. I take it that you want to move in and live with a high flying lawyer and her actor future husband?" Mason nodded, and continued to cry. Cooper walked over and pulled him into a hug. "Come on, stop those tears. We have so much work to do, young man! We need to get this place painted first, so you need to chose a colour scheme; then we have to decide if you want to keep the bare floorboards with rugs, or get a carpet. Then we need to sort you out some furniture."

"If I can help, then I will. I will do anything that you need me to do to help you out."

"Glad you said that - how are you with a paint roller?" replied Cooper. Mason laughed and could only think that he was so lucky. Lucky to have been friends with Blaine's friends. Lucky to be at NYADA, and more than lucky to be moving in to a nice room in Murray Hill.

By the time that the first day of the college semester came, Mason had moved into Cooper's, although he was sleeping in the guest bedroom, as the paint job that needed to be done to the attic was not quite finished. Mike and Sam had appeared one Monday morning in old clothes, and they, along with Dave, had made a start on the place alongside Mason. Sebastian had freely admitted that he was not the kind of person that had the patience to do decorating; he would just throw the paint on the walls in a slapdash manner, quickly bored of the entire process.. He did however help Mason out in a completely different way - he managed to obtain him a job alongside him at the Strand bookstore, without the young man even asking him to. He had surmised that he would need, like most students these days, to supplement his income from his family in some way, and the job at the Strand was reasonably well paid, and close to NYADA. A job was something that Mason had known that he would need even with the peppercorn rent that Cooper was insisting on charging him, as it would pay for him to make the regular trips he intended on to Yale to see Jane, and to pay for dates when she was able to come and visit him. So, as he rode downtown on the bus with Sebastian that first morning, he felt that his life was no longer a last minute mess, but a plan that had been made with friends. They had arranged to meet up with Marley, Santana and Sam at the main door, and there Sebastian handed him over to Santana's care, before he headed off to meet the freshmen that he had been asked to be a mentor to.

By that time, Mike was already at Julliard, getting warmed up for the first classes of his fourth year at college. He had taken the train with Nick, Jeff, Luke and Duncan that morning; they had split up with the two younger boys at Union Square with a quick "Good Luck!" as they had left the train; then after changing to the 1 train, he himself had left Niff on the train to head on to Colombia and the start of their second year classes. For Nick, that meant more reading, essays and tutorials, not to mention having to deal with mock cases on a few weekends. He knew the people that he would be working with, the groups having been announced on line a couple of weeks ago. He was pleased to see that all of them were as good and hardworking as he was. For Jeff, a different kind of task lay ahead. Throughout the whole of the year, he would be required to work on a grand project - a life size picture. He had discussed all of his ideas with his main tutor before the semester had ended for summer, and during the quieter moments of the long vacation, he had begun to plan out his drawing, and make some very rough sketches. He had elected to draw a picture of an angel, sitting in judgement over the world. His tutor had felt that it would not be an easy task for him, given that the muscle tone and wing form could not be easily portrayed for him by his chosen sitter. Jeff did feel a little guilty as he agreed, as he intended to ask Wes to help him there; get him to sit with Mr Bangy in his hand, and judge the room in front of him, as he had done sometimes from his seat at the Council table at Dalton. Jeff knew that this drawing would be his masterpiece; he would be drawing it in colour for starters, and on a scale that he had never attempted before. He was looking forward to the challenge…

Outside the city, the first day of school had of course come the week before for Trent and Rory, and the workload was already mounting on both of them. In Princeton, Flint and Beats found themselves guiding Ethan around, as he got used to a campus that was in total contrast to the one that he had just left. There was also the fact that term in England would not start for nearly another month… He was glad to be back home though, and he told Beats that much when the two of them met up for lunch; Flint was meeting up with Izzy for lunch, and something told his two roommates that he would have a lot more days when he did. They both thought of Drew, still in holiday mode over in Oxford; and of Thad and David, with a week to go before they started their last year at UCLA. Those two had already mapped out their futures - David had a job lined up with a 'tech firm'; he had not named them, but they all suspected very strongly that it was Google. As for Thad, he would be heading back east, to take up his new career as an English and Drama teacher at Dalton, a job he had already been promised by Principal Lefevre. The thought of that made them all happy, and particularly Thad himself. It was all he had ever wanted in a job.


	59. Children and Angels

**Children and Angels**

Watching all of these events from above were a group of angels, who were always so proud of the way that their friends behaved and how united they had become over the last two years, give or take a month or so. It was hard now to imagine that less than three years ago, the New Directions and the Warblers, whilst not enemies, had regarded each other with suspicion, only the bridge built via Kurt and Blaine linking their fortunes in any way. Now the older former members at least were great friends, and the current crop of both choirs had followed in their lead, and although they were rivals in competition, they were close out of the arena. They worked together at charitable events, and met up every so often for social evenings. For their angelic friends, this relative calm was great, as their own work never seemed to stop. Finn was still out the most, his number of collections well into three figures, and his hard work, dedication and manner had been noticed by those in authority. His ability to collect the departed swiftly, and bring them to heaven in a serene state was the stuff of legend. Kurt and Blaine too had become hardened to the reality of their work, and were no longer liable to tears after they had made a collection that was difficult, except for both of them in one set of circumstances; when they had to collect a very young child.

Elizabeth did not blame them or chastise them - even now, after all of her years of experience, she had to admit that if she had to go and collect a baby, it would still cause her so much pain and grief that she would question if what they did was actually worthwhile. What shocked Wes the most though, as he sat at his desk in her office day after day, compiling statistics, reviewing data and sorting out rotas and disputes, was what happened to those tiny children when they arrived, if they had no family to accept them. They would be placed in a care facility, and whilst it was not quite the brutal orphanage that Jeff had found himself dumped in at the age of six, it was not that far away from it either. He had expressed his opinions to Elizabeth, and whilst she was sympathetic, she had to admit to him that she did not see what else could possibly be done. In any case, she stated, in most cases those tiny souls lingered for no more than six months before they were returned to a new body on earth. Wes still did not believe that the way that they were treated was right or fair, and so he began to work out a scheme to alter the situation, at least in the Ohio section.

It was for that reason that he invited Kurt and Blaine to dinner at his apartment one evening in the middle of September. He had adjusted the rota so that it would be possible to have them both together to explain his scheme, with no need for either of them to have to dash off to take care of a collection. He had prepared a small scale Chinese banquet for them all to enjoy, and as they started on the dim sun, he made his confession. "I have to come clean to the two of you right away, and admit that tonight is not all about me entertaining two of my dearest friends to a convivial evening of food and conversation."

"I kind of guessed," said Kurt. "The fact that you altered the collection schedule was a clue - my mom spotted that straight away; it's the kind of thing she notices. Not that we are not grateful for it."

"Yeah, the food is delicious," said Blaine, as he helped himself to another spring roll. "Would you mind though if we eat first and then go onto the work stuff?"

"No, I don't mind at all," said Wes, and then steered the conversation back to lighter topics as he brought out dish after dish, which all three of them enjoyed. Eventually though, as they all sat with a bowl of tea, he cleared his throat, and both of his guests knew that he was about to commence his lecture. "So, for the last few weeks I have been working on a scheme to improve the lot of the youngest souls that we collect. I know that the two of you have often expressed the same sentiments and concerns that I have on this matter…"

"They deserve better! That place that we currently have to take them to is pretty cheerless; all grey and white, with no-one there to make them smile, or keep them entertained. I know that the argument is made that they are merely old souls in young bodies, and therefore they can deal with the tedium, but to me, they are still little kids, and they need more love and empathy than they currently get," said Blaine.

"I agree," said Kurt passionately. "It is like some sort of prison camp, and it should be a joyful place, like a high quality kindergarten. That I think would be achievable if it wasn't for the lack of staff. That is the big issue. We take them to that handful of women, and then we leave; we are forced to leave the place. It isn't right, but I do see some wisdom in what they say. It can't be any different, because we cannot allow ourselves to become attached to them."

As he finished, Wes nodded. He had been hoping for just these reactions. "I'm glad that you both agree with me, because the pair of you are a key part of my grand plan. We cannot have a situation here like we have back in the earthly realm, where we could have a network of foster parents who look after a handful of children each, and treat them like a child of their own; that won't work, as after six months…"

"…their soul goes back to earth and the child that they have been showing all that love and care to no longer exists," said Blaine with a sad smile. "I know that both Kurt and I have discussed the subject at length, and if it was possible, then we would be more than happy to take on that role for one kid, or fourteen…"

As he finished, Kurt took his hand, and Wes knew that his words had been spoken for both of them, and with complete sincerity. "I know that you both would; I know all about Hepburn and Tracy. The day after you died Kurt, I spent a long part of it with Quinn. Standing at the doors of City Hall, to let anyone that had not already heard the tragic news know what had happened. I volunteered for it out of a need to be doing something, anything constructive, so that I would not just be sitting around, thinking about the tragedy of your demise and the effect that it would have on Blaine, on all of us. I am guessing that Quinn had stepped up for the same reason. She had been doing so well, so determined not to show her emotions, and then two young guys walked past, in their late twenties, with two babies in carriers strapped to them. Suddenly she was in tears, and I pulled her into my arms and let her sob her heart out. Afterwards, she told me all about the video that you guys made for Will; the video in which the two of you talk about Hepburn and Tracy, and how she was going to 'donate the egg.' Seeing that young gay couple with their kids made her realise that now that you were gone Kurt, so were those two unborn kids…" He paused, and noticed that both Kurt and Blaine now had moist eyes. "She swore me to secrecy, but I think that when she and Puck have another child together, and they will, it may well have one of those first names…"

There was a moment of silence, of mourning for things that had never been and now could not be, and then Wes spoke again. "Anyway, I have drifted away from the point. We cannot have either fostering or adopting, so instead what I propose is the idea of volunteering. The women that run and work in the children's centre are good, and do their best, but they have so much to do that they do not have the time to stop and play. They have never invited in visitors, in case they began to bond with the children. My suggestion is that we alter that rule; that we allow in volunteers, all of whom have been assessed beforehand to see that they are suitable for the role. They will be the ones to sing, play and generally entertain the older children; that will leave the ladies free to attend to the greater needs of those poor babies in that place. It also lets those of us that were not fortunate enough to have our own children back on earth the chance to enjoy the company of those children; to see them smile and laugh as young kids should."

"That does sound like a good idea, Wes. It would be a bit like being a kindergarten teacher with a class of little angels to look after for a few hours; children that you can like, but do not get to take home," said Kurt.

"Although there will probably be some for whom the term 'little horror' would be more apt, even here," replied Blaine. "I would definitely like to be a volunteer; you can put my name Wes at the very top of the list. I can play songs for them and sing. I'd let them have paints and crayons, and encourage them to dress up…"

"I guess that it would be a lot of fun - but I would let you handle all the painting, dear husband. I could make up and tell stories to them, about all the good things; tales of wicked witches, and fairy queens and handsome princes…" said Kurt, his face full of enthusiasm. Blaine nodded in agreement at his side.

"I guessed that the two of you would say yes," said Wes, "so not only are your names at the top of my list, but I might have suggested that the two of you be put in charge of organising the recruitment and then the management of the volunteers. You would, of course be given the time to do it; you would have fewer collections to do as a result. I am also going to suggest that you ask Finn to help you out, even for an hour. He would be good with the kids too, and I think that it would be beneficial to him."

"I agree. He is my step-brother, and I can see that if he carries on the way that he does now, with the virtually constant collections, for much longer, he will crash and burn… I know a few people already who might be up for it, and I'm sure Blaine does too. So all I can say Wes, and I think I speak for both of us here, is bring it on!"

Wes smiled again as Blaine nodded wildly in agreement. "I was sure that you would be up for this, and so I have made a few arrangements of my own already. I have already made plans for the three of us to spend the day at the children's centre tomorrow, to see first hand what we need to do."

So it was that the following day, having been relieved of their collection duties, Kurt and Blaine made their way with Wes to the place that they had all had the misfortune to visit on more than one occasion. Then they had left the small child that they had collected with one of the ladies that staffed the establishment. It had not been easy for any of them to do, knowing the way that the place operated. Today was a different matter; theirs would be no flying visit, leaving as quickly as possible to avoid tearing their heartstrings into even more shreds than they were already in. It was still going to be hard for them to leave at the end of the day, but they would leave knowing that they had spread a little joy and happiness into the lives of the souls trapped in those small bodies. As they approached the door, nerves began to set in for all of them. For Kurt and Blaine, it was the worry that the songs that they planned to sing and the games they intended to play might not please the young charges of those rooms; for Wes, it was the fear that his grand scheme might fall flat on its face on the very first attempt. When Elizabeth had met with the head of the section on his behalf, Wes had not been present, but he had been informed afterwards that the encounter had been frosty to say the least; the lady had been affronted that such claims of poor treatment were being levelled at her and her staff. Elizabeth had been quick to point out that no such slur was meant or intended, but that was the perception that the head of the department had come in with, and it framed her attitude to the plan. Wes knew that she would be quite happy to see it fall flat; indeed, she might even have taken action to ensure that was what happened.

It was not a shock to any of them therefore that when they entered the children's centre, it was to see three ladies standing there, arms folded across their chests, scowls on their faces. Wes tried his best smile on them, but he could feel it faltering almost at once under their steely glare. For Kurt and Blaine, they had prepared themselves by referencing memories that Wes did not have. They stood their ground; Blaine turned to Wes, as he saw his face falling, and said "Imagine them as a trio of Sue Sylvester's circa 2010. Before she discovered that she did in fact have a heart, and that their was actually a place in the world for love, kindness and compassion. Now add in a dash of Santana in full on Lima Heights mode, and treat them as such." Those words had been spoken so quietly in his ear, to ensure that they could not overhear.

Wes closed his eyes, and made the necessary mental picture. It worked almost at once, and when he opened his eyes again, the three in front of him did not seem nearly so intimidating. "Good morning, ladies! How are we this fine morning? Ready to try something exciting and new?"

"As far as we are aware, Mr Montgomery, there is no need or point in trying something 'new'; the way that things are currently run has served us and heaven well enough for as long as we can recall, and the last thing that we need, given how short of staff we are, is a bunch of do-gooders butting in where they are not wanted and trying to change things that they know nothing about," came his reply from the woman in the centre, who Wes knew was the deputy manager.

"I'm sure that it has served you well, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to be open to new ideas, and change things up, just a little. In fact, this scheme might even lighten your workload, which cannot be bad," replied Wes, his smile fixed in place.

"That remains to be seen. The group of children that we have selected for you to work with is through those doors over there. When you need us, you will find one of us in here." With those words and a shrug, it was clear that they were being dismissed, so they made their way in the direction of the room they had been directed towards.

Of course, the moment that they had heard the word 'selected', all three of them knew instinctively that something had been planned to ensure that they gave up. On opening the door, they knew that their suspicions had been correct. Almost the second that the door was slightly ajar, the noise was deafening, as a crowd of rowdy, unruly children between the ages of two and six ran more or less amok through the room. In the absence of any kind of adult supervision, they had been told to play, and as a consequence, they had begun to more or less riot. Wes looked across at his two companions, and saw the look of horror etched across their features, and knew that his own face must look the same. They had not been expecting this, as the place had always been church like in its silence before. "It's a set-up," said Wes, in a half whisper. "They want us to take one look at this and give up; to concede that their regime of silence and fear is infinitely preferable to this. As I see it, we have no choice but to take a deep breath, step in, close the door and hope. Are you both still with me on this?" Kurt and Blaine looked at each other, then nodded. Then as one, the three of them stepped forward into the melee, and closed the door behind them.

About an hour later, the head of the section, a woman that would have given Miss Trunchbull of _Matilda_ a run for her money, turned to her immediate assistant, the lady that Wes had been confronted by on his arrival, and said, "Well, they've been in their with the worst of them for a good while now. I guess that we had better go and rescue them from the little terrors, or I will have that interfering Elizabeth Hummel on my case about what has happened to her assistant. Not to mention her son and son-in-law. Still, this should have buried the whole stupid scheme of Montgomery's once and for all _,_ and then we can get back to concentrating on running this place in the way that it always has been."

"Yes, those children will have shown those naive idiots that constant playtime is not a good idea in reality. Giving them it will just make them all the harder to control, and that will be worse for them in the long run. After all, they are only here for six months at the most; it doesn't do them any harm to learn that the world can be harsh." The two woman went for a walk through the department, past rooms full of young children sat in silence under the strict eyes of the people charged with their care. It wasn't as if they didn't have toys or books to read after all. It wasn't as if they were being left hungry, or poorly clad. It was just easier to keep them all silent for as much of the time as possible. That could only be achieved by controlling them with strong concepts of order and discipline. The interfering Wes and his two cohorts would be painfully aware of that fact themselves by now…

When they flung open the door to the room they had sent them to though, they were given a massive shock that stopped them in their tracks. In one corner, Wes was sat with a group of children drawing busily with crayon; he himself had a pair of the youngest ones sat on his lap, a crayon in his own hand as he drew what he told him to, to the best of his limited artistic ability. Kurt was supervising a story telling group for the oldest children, letting them make up their own tales for the characters that they suggested - even if that meant that the most familiar of tales was being turned on its head in the process of creation. As for Blaine, he was quietly singing to a group of entranced children; all of them proceeded to join in on the chorus, each and every face alight with happiness. The bedlam that had existed when they stepped into the room had been vanquished, replaced with a sea of smiles. The noise level was minimal, no-one needing to yell to be heard above the others. The two ladies could only look at each other in shock and horror. It was their worst nightmare - the scheme appeared to have worked, despite their best efforts. Wes had been proved correct, and there was no way now to avoid the changes that would come about as a result. Wes suddenly caught sight of them, and he resisted the temptation to smile, knowing full well that if he did, his usual happy smile would be replaced by something just a little short of a full blown, Sebastian style, smug smirk. It was not easy to admit that you had been wrong, and he fully expected that he would never hear such an admission from either of the two ladies, however much he would have liked to. He was just happy that the children seemed to be enjoying themselves, and that the trial had been a success. It did not however mean that it would work as well all the time; that would be entirely dependant on the volunteers that they recruited…

After a week had passed, Elizabeth found herself sitting in her office, the main tasks of her day done, looking out at Wes as he worked, head bent over a pile of papers in the outer office. The young man never failed to impress her, and she often found herself wondering now how she had ever managed to do her job without him. She turned her eyes back to the short memo that she had received that morning, relating to the project that Wes had put himself in charge of. She had been worried that what he intended to do, however well intentioned it was, would only cause the kind of ructions that all in the heavenly realm strove hard to avoid. It was an unspoken rule that people did not interfere in the work that was done by other departments within their own state, let alone intervene over something in another state. She had only allowed the rule to be broken as she had agreed with all that he had said. The memo stated quite bluntly that the scheme worked; that the volunteers that Kurt and Blaine had found were not the hindrance that had been predicted after all; and that no bonding issues had taken place. As such, the head of the children's centre concluded, it could continue, and if she wanted to spread the concept to other states, then she would be happy to back her up. Elizabeth could only smile at the turn around, and she was equally sure that when she showed it to Wes, he would be delighted. Looking out at him once again, she thought 'Yes, I am lucky that I have Wes here to assist me. One day, he will replace me, that I am certain of. I will have to repay him for all his hard work one day, and I know exactly how I can do that, if I can only get the rumours proved…."


	60. Under the Spotlight

**Under the Spotlight**

Before any of them knew it, the month of September was past and October blew in with a storm, quite literally. When the first warnings of the potential arrival of Hurricane Joaquin came in the media, it was quite a jolt to all of them, particularly those in New York. They had all missed out on the worst effects of the previous major storm, Hurricane Sandy in the main, although the city still suffered from it, and for those in Bushwick there were disquieting rumours about the L Train… However, both Beats and Flint could recall a night spent hunkered down in their shared freshman dorm room as the wind had howled outside; and Rachel could recall doing the same with Kurt in the loft, worrying that at any moment the roof of the building would be ripped off, or that the old windows would be sucked out, or come crashing in on them… She also gave them all warnings about what might happen after; things had been dislocated for days in the aftermath of Sandy; the power had come back on eventually, but there were certain items missing from the shelves of the stores for a while, and the L Train had been off for a few days, then less frequent than before - she had ended up cycling to NYADA for a couple of weeks, whilst Kurt had done the same to get to his internship at Vogue. That was enough to spur all of them into action…

None of their homes was in an area that was marked as at risk from heavy flooding, but nonetheless, Cooper presented Dave and Sebastian with keys to his front door, and insisted they use it for the duration, so that they could sandbag their own front door, which did, after all, sit below street level, and so could potentially be flooded by heavy rainfall. Just in case, he also told them to bring their most valuable possessions upstairs out of harms way. Nick and Jeff made preparations for Luke, Duncan and Seth to move in with them on a temporary basis when the storm was scheduled to hit; whilst Luke and Duncan would have to share the spare bed in Mike's room, Seth would have to be content with the couch. They also made a trip out of the city limits to visit the nearest Wal-Mart, to stock up on bottled water, canned goods and other essentials at lower prices; Jeff was quite upset however to discover that Nick did not class Oreo cookies as an essential. Caleb had not been forgotten either, and Santana joked that he must think that it was Christmas when she caught him staring in awe at the pile of cat food that was now stacked in one corner of the dining area. At the diner, Michelle also began to make plans; she called Gunther at his new home in Florida, and asked him to tell her all that he had done during Sandy. After that, she went out and managed to obtain a supply of battery lanterns; some canisters of propane gas and a camping stove, which along with an old fashioned stove top kettle meant they could boil water, and finally a generator with the necessary fuel. It would have enough power to allow them to keep the refrigeration running, and maybe even power the coffee machine.

As the rain lashed the city on that first Friday in October, it seemed that all the most dire predictions of the weather forecasters were about to come true; sandbags had begun to appear around the city, and preparations were being made to stop the subway flooding. Then, as if by some miracle, the course of the storm changed, and instead of a massive and damaging weather event, they had relative normality. As they surveyed their now unnecessary preparations, they all agreed that they had made wise decisions. None of the things that they had rushed out to purchase would go to waste after all. Michelle pointed out to the partners that a big snow storm could hit at any time, and knock out the power, and so her acquisitions had not been in vain; Nick realised that they would not have to remember to buy either cat food or kitty litter for a very long time; and in the case of the three young men living a few blocks away, they had enough packs of instant noodles in the house to last them for months. They had also made plans for an emergency, something that the city encouraged, but up to that point, none of them had done so. Now it was all in place.

The storm had also delayed the timing of the next partners meeting, where the big topic of discussion would be Halloween - but it also marked the first mentions of the words Thanksgiving and Christmas. Michelle needed to know who was planning to be in the city, and who was not. She found to her slight surprise that all of the resident partners planned to be in town for both of those days. This year, no-one was planning on making a trip home - Luke would be heading back to Vermont with Duncan for Thanksgiving, but staff wise, that was it. With that knowledge, Nick suggested that Michelle take a holiday at the same time, and head home to her parents in Boston. She agreed, but only on the condition that they let her work on Christmas instead. She knew that would suit them all as there was a big vow renewal taking place on that day and they would all want to attend. Holiday plans had thus been agreed on quite swiftly and without any complaints.

One person that was desperately trying to avoid the issue of Thanksgiving was Flint. Ethan was back in the States for the first time in three years, so his plans had been made for him; he would be heading home to spend the holiday with his entire extended family. His brother and sister would also be there, 'dragged back by your return' his sister had joked. He was dreading some of it - he hated spending the holidays stuck in that big, cold isolated house, unable to escape all the Mackenzie family traditions. The one consolation was that he could escape the bigger hell that was a family Christmas by turning up for this one.

Beats was also heading home to Ohio for the holiday, and he would not be heading home on his own. His parents had known for some time that he was pansexual, but until now, he had never loved anyone enough to bring them home with him. Elliott was different; he wanted to introduce his parents to the young man that made him smile and laugh so much. The person that got all of his jokes, didn't mind his job, and had the same values that he had. He had asked Elliott to come with him some time before, and he had asked for time to think about it - in the end, he had only needed 24 hours. They would be travelling up on the Greyhound bus; neither of them had the money to pay the inflated airfare, and neither did they want to spend hours driving themselves, along excessively congested highways - they would be content to leave that to a professional. For Elliott, this would be the first family Thanksgiving he had enjoyed since his parents had thrown him out of his home five years earlier. He was nervous about it, but he knew that he could get through it with Beats at his side.

As for Flint, he had made no plans. He knew that he should try to head back home to Kansas; when better than the holidays to try and make his peace with his mother after all? But he kept putting off the final decision, subconsciously knowing that the airfare would keep on rising, and that he would not be able to afford it soon enough. Then it would not be a lie when he called up his dad and told him that he was unable to come. He said nothing to Izzy about the holiday either; he anticipated that she would be spending it with her own family in Baltimore. If she invited him to join them, then he would not decline the invitation - after all, Séamus would be joining them for the first time that year too, and so she might ask if he could come too. He knew that Trent and Rory had also been invited to attend, along with Burt and Carole, so he would have friends there as well. If she did not invite him though, then it would also not be an issue; he could head to New York and spend the day at the diner if none of his friends invited him directly.

What he did not know was that Ethan and Beats had no intention of letting him potentially spend the day on his own, or working at the diner. They had talked to each other one night when he was out with Izzy, and had decided that there was only one place where he should be that day. They had then made a point of seeing Izzy privately, without his knowledge, and Beats had told her more about the situation with his mother than he had ever revealed himself. She knew that they had fallen out, and why; what she had not known was just how bad it had actually been and how fractured the relationship now was. She in her turn had gone home and explained the situation to her own parents, and then told them what she was intending to do about it. They had not been surprised in the least at the nature of her plans, and had given her their blessing to go ahead.

So it was that on the second Saturday of October, Izzy Bernstein had invited Flint to come over for lunch, and he had agreed readily. As well as being a caring and talented trainee doctor, she was also an excellent cook. They had eaten and enjoyed their main course whilst they discussed their college work, and then they had cleared the table, Flint insisting on helping, before she went to fetch the dessert. She returned to the table with two plates each holding a neat slice of homemade Key Lime Pie - and an envelope. She placed the latter down in front of Flint, who looked at it, then at her quizzically. "Open it," she said. "Just promise me that you won't get too mad at me." He looked at her with even more curiosity, opened the envelope and pulled out the sheet of paper inside. It was a booking receipt for two return flights from Newark to Manhattan, Kansas. He looked up at her, and she said "I want to meet your mother. So, you are taking me home with you for Thanksgiving."

Flint was speechless. There was a part of him that wanted to scream at her that she had no right to make such a plan; no business to try and disguise what was clearly an intervention into his private life as her own natural curiosity. Then he would start on his two roommates that had clearly been scheming with her behind his back. Only, the bigger part of him would say nothing, because he knew that when it came down to it, the whole affair with his mom had been dragged on far too long, and the only people that he was hurting now were his father and himself. He had not even taken up his invitations to return home for a weekend to see him as he did not want to face his mom. The fact was that so much had changed in his life since the world had exploded around him six months before. For a start, he was now in a position where he was in control of his own destiny, not least in the finding of a girlfriend. If nothing else, he could inform his mother categorically on Thanksgiving that all her efforts to match him up with Berneice Rubens had been in vain. He had found someone better on his own, and that was it! If she did not like it, and she reacted in her usual way, at least Izzy would see her at her worst, and she would never want to take him to Kansas again…

"Ok, I am going to be honest with you - I have severe reservations about this. You say that you really want to meet my mom, but I am sure it is more because you want the two of us to settle our differences, and have me let her back into my life. I guess that would be nice to achieve, if for no other reason than it will save my dad from being stuck in the middle, but it is not going to be easy to achieve. She likes to be in charge; to organise; to control. If she doesn't like you, then all of this will be in vain, because I would chose you over her any day. I think she will like you, if not for yourself then for the fact that you are Jewish, well connected, and have a good career in prospect…" Izzy burst out laughing, but stopped abruptly when she saw Flint's face. "I am being deadly serious; she is a snob, and a social climber; she will love you all the more when she finds out you are the younger daughter of a multi-millionaire. But, how could she not love you like I do? So I am going to say thank you; it will be good to speak to her face to face in a setting that she can't avoid me in; half of the family will no doubt be around. I will let dad know that we are coming, but we shall keep I as a surprise for mom, so that she can't plan ahead and invite the Rubens over. I will also make sure that dad invites my Aunt Mona and my cousins over. I want to see them too, and at Thanksgiving, mom will have to be on her best behaviour…

The nights began to grow longer as the month went on, and the night of Halloween approached. At the diner, they began to plan in earnest for the night in question. There would be pumpkins to carve, and then soup to make with what was inside. Decorations would be simple and the tone of the music could easily be adjusted. It was all a lot easier to deal with than the final fruition of the big plan from the start of the year. Michelle had left the organisation of it to the partners themselves, delegating the responsibility to Santana, Sam, Sebastian and Mike. It had not been an easy task for any of them. They had at least managed to agree on a name easily enough, and on the design of the posters and flyers. _Under the Spotlight_ would be launched with a grand fanfare on Monday 12th October, and would then continue to run every Monday for most of the rest of the winter. After much debate, they had agreed that they would run the heats for 16 weeks, followed by 2 weeks of semi finals, then a grand final at the start of March. They would apply a limit of 8 acts a night, assuming that many people actually signed up; the winner of each heat would progress to the semi finals, and then the top four from each of them would go to the final. They had put up posters in and around the various colleges in the city, and in the diner itself, from the middle of September. They quickly discovered that they had seriously underestimated the level of interest. In the end, they had to allow for 12 acts in each heat, and had adjusted the schedule accordingly. It was, as Sebastian had put it, going to be either the glittering highlight of the autumn and winter in Manhattan, or a complete freak show. It would be interesting if nothing else - and the fact that it would bring crowds of people to the diner on one of the quieter nights of the week was no bad thing either…

There was of course the question of judges to sort out, and that was one of the main reasons that they had chosen to have the competition on a Monday night - it meant that they could prevail on two particular partners to alternate in the role of head judge. Both Rachel and Cooper had agreed to take the job without any of the lengthy discussions they had feared, and that also meant that Santana had not been forced to resort to threats of violence. The presence of two Broadway actors, both the leads in their respective shows, might have helped to increase the number of people that wished to perform. They would be joined by one other partner as a judge, and then they would hand it over to the audience to decide on who was their favourite act. They had considered the possibility of bringing in an external judge, possibly another cast member from the two shows, or the directors, or even the heads of the city's dramatic arts schools, but using the latter they had decided could lead to accusations of bias if one of their students just happened to be the winner on the week that they were present. Carmen Tibideaux had still stated that she would look in, but mainly because she intended to judge how her three students had done in organising the event; their preparation and execution would be key to its success. She had not said as much to them, naturally. The three of them were all smart enough to know that it would be the case anyway.

On that first Monday, Cooper was in the hot seat, with a judgemental looking Kitty at his side. She had decided to go with a look that was highly intimidating, so as to, as she put it, ensure that the performer had what it took to hack it in the highly competitive business of show. The contestants had all arrived to sign in on time, and had all brought friends with them. As they had anticipated, most of them came to have something to eat before the show began, so the diner swiftly began to fill up as if it was the weekend, which kept all of the staff busy and happy. They had ensured that the staff level was high, so service was swift, and everyone was more than satisfied. The contest itself also turned out to be a big success, with everyone enjoying what they were hearing - in some cases, because the performer was exceptionally good; in some, because they were so bad… It left the two judges with a tricky task at the end of each performance, but they both handled it well; although they had not talked about it beforehand, Cooper had taken on the role of the kind, benevolent, understanding judge, who got a round of applause for his charitable comments; Kitty meanwhile took on the nasty role with relish, and her barbed comments often earned her a burst of laughter from the crowd, along with an occasional hiss. She took that in her stride; years of having to endure the constant vacillations of Sue Sylvester on a daily basis in the Cheerios had left her as tough as the lady herself - it was a wall that few broke down, with the major exception of Artie.

At the end of the day, the judges and the audience agreed that the sophomore from Tisch, whose voice had left all of them spellbound as he sang, was the deserving winner. From her spot in a booth near the door, Carmen was in full agreement, making a note of the young man's name so that she could call her opposite number at the other school to offer them her congratulations. There had been no NYADA students in the week's candidates anyway - it would be a different story altogether next week she knew, and then she was quietly confident of a victory for her establishment. As the winner was given his reward - a voucher to the value of $50 to be spent in the diner at some point in the next year, everyone applauded. Michelle had decided that the prize was appropriate, and it was a win for them in every way. The actual cost of the food that they would purchase with their voucher would be less than that, and the amount would be nothing compared to the extra cash taken on an otherwise quiet night. All in all, it had been a success, and they had more than one person approach the staff to ask if the competition would be running next year, given that all the slots for this year were now full. As they answered the questions, none of them noticed that amongst the people in the crowd that night had been one of the leading journalists for the art and culture section of _The New York Times_. She had been busy making notes for most of the night, and she left the diner that evening with an article to write.

It would appear in the weekend edition; it was more than favourable to them all. The food was praised first, for its variety and generous portions, along with the swift and pleasant service. Mention was then made of the contestants, including the name of the winner and a photograph. She then moved on to the judges, praising Cooper first for his skill and fair play, and then giving his show a good plug in the passing. Then it was the turn of Kitty - the reporter wrote ' _Miss Wilde is the undoubted star of the show, her acerbic commentary being cutting, but not so cruel as to risk precipitating legal proceedings.'_ Needless to say, the lady in question was more than happy, and therefore had no hesitation in accepting the suggestion from Sam that she be a judge every Monday from then on, in lieu of her working any kind of partner's shift. The effect of the article was at once apparent - for the first time since Valentine's Day, they found themselves having to queue people for a seat for most of the weekend. Michelle made am immediate decision based on that, and upped the staffing levels for Monday night, in anticipation of a full house. She was proved correct, in that every seat was occupied well in advance of the start of the competition, and by the time that the first contestant took to the stage in front of Rachel and Kitty, there was no standing room either. The staff found themselves working flat out, but no-one seemed to care. Afterwards, once Rachel and Kitty had made their comments, and passed judgement, a junior from NYADA won the public vote, much to the satisfaction of Carmen, who was sitting in her booth again, this time joined by colleagues from Tisch, Julliard and NYU.


	61. Halloween

**Halloween**

With such an increase in income as was being generated by the talent contest, none of the partners was unhappy with their share of the profits at the end of the month. That was even before one of the biggest events of the autumn had come along - Halloween. It fell on a Saturday, so the night was already going to be busy. On the Friday night, it fell to Jeff and Elliott to put most of the decorations up - the idea of cobwebs and skeletons being out for longer than was absolutely necessary was not something that Michelle was prepared to tolerate. It also made sense, as the pumpkin lanterns would begin to spoil if they had been put out too far in advance of the actual day. Then there was the whole issue that the fake spiders dangling from the webs could risk freaking out someone with acute arachnophobia. It was an enjoyable evening for the two of them; Jeff had always had a special spot in his heart for Elliott, and he was pleased that the older man seemed to be so much happier these days. He remarked on it as they hung up cobwebs, and Elliott had smiled, and then remarked that being in love did that to a man. That naturally made Jeff curious, and so he subtly tried to find out more about the lucky man in question, but he got no more information from Mr Gilbert, other than he was younger, and still coming to terms with the whole issue of his sexuality, and so he had to keep quiet about it. Jeff nodded, but secretly decided that he would try and have a quiet word with Beats about it. He had noticed that he and Elliott were very friendly these days. It did not even occur to Jeff to put two and two together at that point, and realise that the two things might just be connected…

With one thing and another, Jeff had been a little later than normal in arriving home that night, and so on the Saturday morning, Nick let him linger in bed a little longer than normal. He had been happy to snuggle next to him himself for a while, but in the end, he decided that he had to get up; he had an essay to write for the following week, and he had a shift that afternoon at the Law Library. He walked into the living area to find Mike doing his morning stretches, being watched by a curious Caleb. Nick smiled as he realised that he must have fed the little cat, as he had not followed him into the kitchen looking for food. He still felt only half awake as he poured himself a cup of coffee, grateful that Mike was considerate enough to make a full pot first thing. He proceeded to pour himself a bowl of cereal, which he then ate between yawns. The bowl and cup empty, he placed his dishes in the sink to wash later, and then headed for the shower, to try and wake himself up a little more. The moment that he stepped under the warm spray of water, he felt so much better, revelling in the steam that now enveloped him.

He did not hear Jeff's phone start to ring over the noise of the running water, so missed his husband's groans as the ring tone carried on, stopping only for a moment before starting again. Eventually, Jeff stretched an arm out from underneath the cocoon of covers, and groped about on the bedside table for his phone; he found it, and answered it with a tired "Ello…" Then he heard two words that made his eyes open wide, and had him sitting bolt upright in the bed, at least at first…

Nick had just turned the water off and stepped out of the shower when he heard Jeff scream, promptly followed by first the sound of fast running feet past the door, then a yowl of protest from a startled cat. He quickly grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist, and opened the door to the hallway, just in time to see his husband, wide-eyed, charging towards him, Caleb tucked under one arm. "Jeff, what is going on?" he asked, but instead of an answer, he found his arm grabbed roughly, and then he was being dragged down the hall, past a worried looking Mike, and then forcibly pushed into the hall cupboard, Jeff and Caleb right behind him, and then the door was slammed shut. As Nick stumbled in the dark, grateful firstly that the vacuum cleaner had not been in his path, and secondly for the fact there was a handle on the inside of the cupboard door, he heard nothing apart from the sound of rapid breathing from Jeff and continued yowls from Caleb. Nick took a breath, and tried to stay calm as he said "Ok, Jeffie, I need to know - and right now would be good - what in the name of all that is holy is going on!? Why have we locked ourselves in a cupboard - although that was all you really… Any reason why you couldn't let me get dried and dressed first?"

"My mother called," said Jeff, still struggling to breathe. "It's my father, Gordon…" Jeff said nothing else, just carried on gulping in air. Nick swore that he could hear the sound of his husband's heart beating feverishly in his chest - and if he was being honest, at the mention of Gordon Clarington, his own heart had started to beat a heck of a lot faster too.

Outside, Mike had jumped when he had first heard the scream, and had at once stopped his exercises. He had heard the footsteps too, and had nearly been knocked flying as Jeff barrelled into the room, grabbed Caleb from the bed he had just climbed into, and then with a breathless "Nicky!" he had flown back the way that he had just come. Mike shook his head, and went to follow him, only to be nearly knocked over again as Jeff came charging back, dragging a wet, virtually naked Nick behind him. To his shock, and he had to admit, mild amusement, he had then seen them vanish into the hall cupboard. He paused for a moment, and managed to resist the urge to go and knock on the door, and ask if there was any reason why they had just gone back into the closet. He decided to head back to his room, grab a pair of shoes, and go and fetch help from across the landing. He walked along the hall, taking care to avoid the pools of water Nick had left behind. It was just as he was about to step into his room, considering whether he could call Tina and ask her for advice, when he heard a noise. A tiny sound, which sounded like someone screaming "Jeff!" He turned on his heel, and instead stepped into Nick and Jeff's room. The bed clothes were lying in a heap on the floor, where Jeff had thrown them, and nearby lay his phone, dropped as he had fled the room in panic. Mike picked it up, hearing the shouts for Jeff grow louder as he moved it towards his ear. A glance at the caller display showed the word 'Mother' With great caution, Mike put the phone to his ear and said "Hello? Elspeth..?"

There was a silence, and then she replied. "Oh, hello… I assume this is Mike, because you aren't my son, or son-in-law…"

"Guilty as charged ma'am. I wonder if you can help me with something. Jeff has just dragged Nick out of the shower, and locked the pair of them, and the cat, in the hall closet. I'm guessing you might have an inkling as to why…"

"He's done what? It's my fault. I said it all wrong. I had to tell him some news about Gordon…" She paused as she heard Mike's breath hitch. "Mike, it isn't bad, not from my point of view anyway. Can you take me to Nick?"

Mike, who had momentarily on hearing his name been considering running to the cupboard himself and demanding to be allowed to join them in there, replied "I can try, but there is no guarantee that Jeff will even open the door to me. To be honest, he looked half mad as he ran in there…" As he spoke, Mike was already making his way to the closet, and cursed as he stepped in a puddle, soaking his sock. Once at the door, he knocked gingerly. "Guys, it's Mike. I have Elspeth on the phone, and she wants to speak to you, Nick. I know why you are in there, and whilst I am a tad upset that you didn't consider taking me to safety with the two of you, Jeff, I can forgive you… Can you open the door, or just let me open it enough to give Nick the phone?"

The door was cracked open just a sliver, showing Mike a white faced Jeff, tear tracks on his face, a struggling Caleb, and a resigned looking Nick. Mike slipped the phone in through the door, and waited for it to be closed again. Jeff did reach for the handle, but Nick got there first and held the door in place, signalling to Mike with his eyes to take the handle on the other side, so that the door could not be closed again.

Jeff's voice suddenly came, a tiny choked whisper. "I'm sorry Mike… Of course I should have grabbed you too, though it might have been a bit cramped. It's just - my father… I can't let him hurt the people I love, and I should have, I should have taken you in here too…"

Nick heard him whisper those words and could not help but smile just a little; that in the case of perceived danger, his husband would grab him and try to protect him was very reassuring. He did have a more pressing task to deal with before he could hug him for that, which he turned to. "Hey, Elspeth, Nick here. I take it that you can enlighten me as to what exactly is going on?"

"Firstly Nick I need to apologise to you. I chose my words very badly, and caused my son to have what sounds like a full blown panic attack."

"Don't worry about it. As long as I can get back out of the closet sooner rather than later, I will be happy. I have just discovered there is a really nasty draught in here…" Elspeth laughed, but then checked herself. She then told Nick exactly what she had intended to tell her son had she not triggered a complete freak out in him. For his part Nick just listened in silence, keeping his face impassive. "Well," he said when she had finished, glancing over to where Jeff was stroking Caleb, still trembling slightly, "that is an end to it then. I know that I should not say this, but if anyone deserved it…"

"Yes, I have to agree with you there. I will go now, and let you speak to Jeff - will you ask him to call me later so that I can apologise to him, and see how he is?"

"I will do Elspeth. Thanks for letting us know; it can't have been an easy thing for you to be told either." Nick rang off, and then turned to Jeff. "Ok, Jeffie, my love, you, me and Caleb are going to get out of here, and the two of us are going to have a little chat in the living room. It is perfectly safe, so there is no need for us to stay in here. I think that Caleb would also be much happier if you put him down and let him go back to bed. Mike, would you mind fetching me my bathrobe, as it is a bit chilly in just a towel."

"No problem, Nick. I'll get that, and then I will sort you guys out some coffee and cookies…" came his reply, the latter thought making Nick smile with the realisation of just how much Mike cared for them both; that he was a good friend as well as a roommate.

Reluctantly at first, Jeff allowed Nick to lead him back out of the cupboard, but still held Caleb tightly to his chest. He did not let go of him until he and Nick reached the sofa and sat down next to each other. Caleb immediately jumped down, tail in the air and headed back to bed, his head held high in protest at the disturbance to his first morning nap. Mike returned with Nick's robe, but before he could head into the kitchen to get the coffee, Nick motioned to him to sit down on the other side of Jeff.

"Ok, so your mother told me what has happened. She is so sorry that how she started to tell you made you panic, but I get why you would when she mentioned that name; it is a lot like mentioning Voldemort to people in _Harry Potter_ to say it to us… The thing is, you should really have let her finish speaking. She told you she had received a call from the prison about him, but it wasn't to say he had escaped, as you assumed, my love. That is what you thought, and that is why you did what you did…"

Jeff nodded, then very quietly said "So he is still in prison? He can't come and hurt any of us?"

Nick looked Jeff right in the eyes, and took his hand. "No, my love he can't - and he never will do again. From what Elspeth was told, he had been making himself a bit of a reputation amongst the other inmates, annoying them all by acting as if he was superior to them, as if he was the head honcho in the jail. He never stopped telling them all who he should not be in there, that as soon as they changed the president and got rid of the liberals, he would be out of there. Yesterday, he decided to pontificate about how he had met Donald Trump, and once he was president, he would be free again. How he would need strong men like him to help deport all the illegal migrants, and build the wall along the Mexican border. In the process, he taunted one guy in particular, who has family in Mexico; the guy is also a convicted mass murderer. There was a confrontation, which turned into a full blown fight. From what the witnesses say, the two of them were fairly evenly matched at first - until the knife appeared. There will be an enquiry as to how Gordon even had it…"

"He had a knife! So he killed the other guy?" said Mike; between him and Nick, Jeff sat in total silence, his eyes wide.

"That was probably his intention, but it got knocked out of his hand; it ended up in the hands of one of the 'friends' of the guy he was fighting, and he took action. I am just going to come out and say it - he drove it into the base of Gordon's skull, and the fight was over…" Nick paused, noting the looks of horror on the faces of both of his companions, but also the hint of relief in Mike's eyes as he knew what was coming next. "Jeffie, Gordon Clarington can't bother any of us ever again. The prison called your mother as she was still listed as his next of kin. The knife wound was fatal, Jeffie. Gordon is dead. He will have gone to the same place as Hunter, my love, and deservedly so. That was what Elspeth wanted to tell you; she was worried that because of your big heart, the news might still upset you, so that was why she started with the words 'I don't want you to worry' after saying his name…"

"And I promptly didn't just worry when she said that the prison had called her about him, but proceeded to have a minor breakdown…"

"Yeah, just a little one, my love, but it's ok. I understand why, and I love the fact that your first thought was that you wanted to protect me. Now, how about we get that coffee, and instead of cookies, why don't I make you pancakes for breakfast? I think in the circumstances, we could justify a small celebration…"

They all moved through to the kitchen - as Nick made up the pancake batter, Mike sat with Jeff at the kitchen table and they reflected on what it all meant. "I think that I might have reacted in the way I did because of the fact that it is Halloween - a day of ghosts, monsters and horror. That was what he was to me - a spectre from the not so distant past; a monster who preyed on me in my nightmares; the man who tried to kidnap me; who tried to kill my mother and Nick; the man who corrupted and destroyed the soul of my kid brother - because Hunter was my brother, and no matter what he went on to do to all of us, I still have a dim memory of a sweet little boy who loved my drawings… Well, Gordon will be suffering for all of that now. He deserves it too. I really should call my mother back, but it can wait until after breakfast. She will be feeling much the same as me, and she did her best to save me from so much of the pain. If it wasn't for her intervention, I would have been back in court for his trial this year; attempted murder on top of all the rest. She went to the court and appealed to the judge in person that it would be cruel to force me to appear in court, as I had very little that I could actually say, and fortunately, they agreed. My father was not happy about that at all, because I think that he wanted to see me suffer again like I did at Hunter's trial. He was denied that; he had to content himself with Ethan and Drew on a video link from the UK, and the written statements from Puck, Mercedes and Sebastian. I still can't believe that he is really gone. It's like a massive weight had been lifted off my back. I feel just a little bit freer now…"

"And quite right too," said Nick, as he brought over the first of the pancakes and set it down in front of his husband. "He was a figure that has haunted you for far too long, firstly through the actions of Hunter, and then through his own. You are free of him now; we all are. Don't think that I didn't know how you always kept one eye on everything around you, always looking at the people approaching on the sidewalk. There is no need now; he has gone for good, to a place from which there is no escape."

"Nick is right; there is no coming back from where he is now," said a familiar voice, and they all looked up to see Wes standing in the doorway, with a smile on his face. "I knew that he was going to die; I saw his name on one of the lists that passed over my desk, and I did some checking, just to make sure it was the right Gordon Clarington. I couldn't say anything about it to you in advance, just smile at the thought that he would soon be leaving all of your lives forever. I was there, at the prison, when it happened. I saw his soul being pulled down to hell. The others refused to come with me; they said that seeing it happen to Hunter had been enough - Blaine even tried to stop me going at all. But I was determined to see him go… He saw me, at the end; he screamed at the sight of me standing there, my wings outspread, Mr Bangy in my hand. He recognised me, even tried to spit in my face, but he was too far away. I just shook my head at him, and told him he was about to go and join his son in the place that he had been sent to, thanks to his actions. Then they arrived, and took him, and I saw why the others did not wish to observe it again…"

There was silence in the room for a moment, then Mike spoke quietly. "Blaine told me it is like the dementors in _Harry Potter_ , but so much worse because it is actually happening to someone that you know, even if they were an enemy…"

"It is a lot like that, yeah… I don't think that I could bear to witness something like that again; if I have to, then I daresay I could survive it, but it would not be through choice. I just wanted to confirm to myself that the man that tormented my Starling, tried to kill my Dove, tortured my flock, and then had the audacity to punch me was gone forever. I just wish that this day had come a whole lot sooner…"

"Thank you for going to see for me, Wes," said Jeff. "I am not going to crow about this, or celebrate, and it would be wrong of me to send the man that killed him a thank you note…"

"Just a little, Jeffie; understandable in the circumstances, but very wrong," said Nick. "We could maybe raise a drink to him tonight though…"

"That is every bit as wrong, Nicholas!" said Wes, with a grin that told Nick that he didn't quite mean what he was saying. "Tonight is, of course, Halloween, so you might get away with it, as long as you don't scream it out too loudly. Ok, I have work to get back to; Nick, watch your time - and Jeff, smile! He's gone, and you are a lot safer now."

As Wes said his goodbyes, Jeff sat in silence, all the time thinking 'Yes, I am safer now - but I still have the curse of his genes inside me, and I still would not dare to have children. That is his legacy to me, and that no-one can take away…'

Mike had planned to go and meet a few friends from college that afternoon, but he cancelled, inviting them instead to join him at the party at the diner that night. He was pretty sure that Jeff would appreciate the company after his early morning scare, and Nick should not have to miss work. The latter mouthed a 'Thanks' to him when he announced that his friends had made new plans for the day, and that he hoped that he and Jeff could hang out instead. As for Jeff, he was fully aware of the lies being told, but he wasn't ungrateful. He had been planning on a brave face until Nick and Mike left, then climbing back into the warm cocoon of the four poster bed, with the curtains drawn. Instead he found himself drawing Mike, who agreed to don a set of devil horns and to hold a toy trident, then sit shirtless with a snarl fixed on his face, as if he was the devil incarnate. It took quite a few attempts for Mike to perfect the look in such a way that did not set Jeff giggling uncontrollably. Caleb allowed himself to be mollified as the day went on - offering him a few extra treats had the usual effect on the cat's emotions, and he no longer ignored Jeff as he had initially done; he had caught up on his sleep after all. Eventually, with a sigh, Jeff packed away all his materials and got ready to go and work his shift at the diner, Mike remaining at his side as they rode on an L Train randomly populated by a variety of witches, vampires, warlocks and other assorted ghouls.

As he had anticipated, the diner was packed, and Jeff quite happily volunteered to start his shift a little early. Mike also had some time until his friends would arrive, and so he donned an apron and went to assist on the counter. The food that night was simple and inspired. Pumpkin soup was being served with hunks of soda bread; there were a plethora of highly spiced dishes, and more than a few devilled ones, mainly because of the roots of the word. All of it was selling well, to the sound of as many ghostly or scary songs as they had been able to find. It had been decided that the staff would not wear costumes, as they wished to appear as professional as possible, so they ended up standing out in the sea of costumed customers. Some people did ask why the staff were not joining in and donning costume; Jeff replied to one group that he was - he was the sweet, innocent blond that died first in half of the world's horror films, and that reply got him a big laugh. He joined in, happy to be at work on a night when he could quite easily have ended up dwelling on the past.

Prior to welcoming his friends, Mike had taken Michelle to one side and asked her to keep an eye on Jeff that evening. He didn't elaborate on his reasons, he just informed her that both Nick and Wes had told him that a certain costume could cause him to freak out. Admittedly, Jeff had burst out laughing at first when Luke, Duncan and Seth had arrived, dressed as a vampire, a werewolf and a zombie respectively; then on seeing that Seth was wearing an old Dalton uniform, that had been ripped and torn and had been given fake bloodstains, he scolded him for damaging his uniform like that. None of them had noticed that he was also trembling like a leaf. At that moment Nick had walked in; he took one look at Seth and told him that if Thad ever found out what he had done to his uniform, he would be in big trouble. Then he guided Jeff into the staff room for a moment to let him breathe. Nick knew that one of Jeff's recurring nightmares had been about a zombie attack on Dalton, started by Hunter; he had been helpless to stop it as those of his friends that had already been turned attacked those that had not been. Seth had not been a key part of that dream, and he had always woke up screaming at the same point every time - the moment that Hunter, having ripped out Sebastian's throat, jumped on Nick…

After a few minutes, Jeff felt well enough to head back out, and he and Nick discovered that Seth had shed the blazer and tie - and apologised for disrespecting the uniform. Jeff knew what he needed to do next. He asked Nick to round up all of their friends that were there, and when he had done so, Jeff told them all his news from that morning. It turned out that Luke had already known through his mom, but had not mentioned it to anyone, even Duncan. The reactions of their friends were of a similar vein to their own - it was no bad thing, and the fact that it had been as a result of his own actions made it all the sweeter. Word spread even faster after Jeff told Nick to share it on their Facebook page. It was no sooner posted than Jeff's phone rang, and he answered it to speak to Thad. He spent a few minutes talking quietly one on one with the Head Warbler; Thad knew that the sensitive Jeff would feel guilty about his father's death, even after all that he had done to him, and would feel even guiltier about how happy he was he had died. The same sentiment would be echoed in his next call from Trent, and then in his chat with Sebastian, who had run in and just wrapped him in his arms. They all knew too, like Nick, that his nightmare was not really over and never would be; his life had been altered by the actions of his father and brother, and the fact they were both gone would not change that now.


	62. A Fashion Collection

**A Fashion Collection**

The day after Halloween was the day on which the final partnership meeting before Christmas had been arranged. Michelle knew already that the vast majority of the group would be in the city for the festive season, as they had a vow renewal to attend, so it made things so much simpler just to plan the next partners meeting for then. The majority of the group had made it, but there were slightly more absentees than was usual. Trent and Rory had stayed in Washington as the former had a huge amount of work on his plate that weekend, and he had already committed himself to being in New York the following weekend in any case. They set up a video link nonetheless, but when the camera came on, it was to reveal only Rory sitting there, apologising that his husband was busy with his essay writing, and that he would not be joining them, but had given him his full authority instead. Quinn was equally busy, but had taken a break to coincide with the meeting and thus also appeared on screen. Cooper was feeling tired from his two shows the day before, and felt he might be coming down with something, so he had sent Grace with a note, stating that she also had his full authority, and that in any case, she was the smarter of the two of them. Rachel was in attendance, however, and that fact would once upon a time have made Santana shudder at the prospect of what schemes she would propose; but now, with the reality of actually being a Broadway star, and a reasonably long running one at that, she acted with more common sense.

With everyone in place, Michelle began the meeting as she always did with a discussion of the financial results, something that managed to make them all smile. They all quickly agreed to her suggestion that a new coat of paint would not be a bad idea in certain areas of the diner, in particular the restrooms. In the longer term, she suggested that recovering the seats would be sensible, and again there was no dissention. After all, they all knew that the secret to success in business was to keep investing for the future. The next topic for discussion was the holidays. They all agreed that it was essential to maintain an element of tradition, with turkey dinner and pumpkin pie both being key elements of any menu proposed for Thanksgiving; but at the same time, they all agreed that they wanted to offer a new twist for those that wished to change things up.

The next suggestion came from Sebastian, much to many people's surprise. He proposed that they repeat an idea from their opening night, and provide communal tables again, so that those that had no family to celebrate with on the big day could be 'adopted' by one for the day. Each table would have an appointed head, and a full spread of traditional fare delivered, but in the form that they would receive it if they were at home - a whole turkey, a ham, dishes of sides, a gravy boat, etc, along with the warmed plates and serving utensils. A cloth could be laid on the table, and decorations placed on it. It would be, to all intents and purposes, a recreation of the scene in thousands of homes across the nation. There was silence when he finished speaking as everyone contemplated what he had just suggested.

It fell to Santana to break it. "Can I just say that I love the concept, and would like to second the suggestion. It also shocks me slightly that it was the meerkat that came up with the idea, but I guess that is what marriage, and being reunited with his big brother has done to him; having his own family around him again has made him a sentimental person - and that is no bad thing."

"I'm for it too," said Mike. "We could organise it as sittings; give people say, two hours - so at one, three, five and seven…"

"And as the menu for the majority of the customers would be more or less set, and they would be serving themselves, it would make less work for those staff that will be here," said Jeff, knowing already that he and Nick would not be working. He had felt guilty about that, and any idea that made life easier for those that were had his vote. As it turned out, the suggestion was approved unanimously, and Sebastian sat back with a grin on his face, as Dave wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

The conversation then moved on to Christmas. They all agreed that it was a day for warming soups, roast meats and rich desserts. Rory began to wax lyrical about mincemeat pies, Christmas cake and plum pudding. Then with a smile that lit up his whole face, he began to describe the trifle that his Nana had always served up at the family festive dinners in his youth. Nick already knew that he would be asked to find a good recipe for the mincemeat pies, and to that end he had already begun to experiment. It helped that he had found that baking was a great relief from the stresses of his college work. Jeff kept quiet, as did Mike, about the batch that he had made up the previous week; some ordinary, and some with fondant icing instead of a pastry lid. He had also made a rich, dark fruit cake for them to eat at home, which he was feeding with brandy as the recipe stated. He knew that he would have to find a recipe for Christmas pudding too, and perfect it; his research so far had lead him to one fact, and that was the importance of preparing it well in advance, and having a set stir up day.

After the official part of the meeting was over, and Nick had been all smiles when he had in answer to the challenge to find a perfect mince pie recipe handed over the one he had already found, they all drifted away, but not before virtually everyone had approached Jeff and told him how glad they were that Gordon was gone. Some looked guilty as they said so, having been brought up to show compassion towards the dead, but Kitty had come up, pulled him into a hug, and suggested they have a celebration in lieu of a funeral. "We could mark his passing with an evening of art, culture and tolerance; drag queens would be good, and I was reading an article in a magazine about boylesque - we could hire a dancer to give us a show…"

Jeff looked at her eager smiling face, and at the slightly horrified expressions of Nick and Artie behind her, and laughed so hard that he had to sit down. It was such a tempting proposition, he had to admit, and he was sure that Elspeth would get why he liked the concept. However, his mom and dad would be less enthused if he agreed to it. He had spoken to them too the previous day, Elspeth having called them shortly after her first call to him, and they had been so sympathetic and worried about him, and had asked him if he would go and see his usual counsellor, just for them. The fact was that now, all he really felt was a sense of relief. "It does sound lovely, Kitty, but best not. Society would deem it to be in bad taste." He noticed that her smile slipped slightly, and so he added. "However, there would be nothing to stop you and me, and maybe Nick and Artie going to see a boylesque show as a tribute to my father. It could be fun - well, maybe not so much for Artie - and it would be nice to spend an evening with the fabulous Miss Wilde…" Kitty cheered up at once, and pulled out her phone, to bring up on Google images of the dancer she had done most research on. One glance had both Nick and Jeff agreeing that it was a go…

* * *

The following weekend found Nick, Jeff and Sebastian joining Trent and Rory in making their way to a party at the Plaza Hotel. Mike and Tina had already made their own way there, as they had quite important roles to play at the party, and they would do so alongside Mercedes and a nervous David. The presence of the latter two had meant that there was no excuse for Thad not to join them, as otherwise the seat on the private jet would have been left empty, and they all agreed that was just a waste. On arriving at the Plaza, he had found himself in the company of Burt and Carole; they also had a major part to play, but there was less preparation for them. As their taxi pulled up outside the front of the hotel, the four ex-Warblers and Rory immediately saw the banner, and all felt an enormous sense of pride; that they had been invited to the party organised for _Vogue_ and _GQ_ to mark the launch of the KEH Collection. The great and the good of the city had been invited to attend, and most had responded positively. As such, the five young men felt inordinately privileged to be joining them in walking up the red carpet. Sebastian's only regret was that Dave could not join them, as he was playing that evening.

Their approach along the red carpet went unnoticed at first, and they all feared that at any moment security would dash up and escort them off the carpet, thinking they were merely interlopers. Then suddenly a photographer recognised Trent and Rory from the _GQ_ cover, and they found themselves surrounded by a sea of flashbulbs and lights. They managed to reach the door, where they showed their passes and were allowed to continue inside to the lobby, all of them with flushed faces. Isabelle was waiting there to greet them, and she escorted them to the ballroom door. There, she hustled Trent, Rory and Jeff off to meet Anna Wintour, who was in attendance, apologising to Nick that he could not join them. Neither Nick or Sebastian minded the fact that much. Both of them had noticed that she was dressed in a gown that Kurt had designed, and had insisted that she wear for the big launch party, and complimented her on how wonderful she looked in it. She blushed, and then hurried the other three away, leaving them to make their way down to the tables near the catwalk, where Thad was already sat waiting, apparently on his own, at least to most of the room. Both Nick and Sebastian could see that Wes was at his side, a broad smile on his lips.

Eventually, the other three joined them, all smiling. Jeff in particular seemed thrilled, and he informed Nick that Ms Wintour wanted to meet both of them after the show, as did the director of the Gallery of Modern Art, who had been impressed not just by Jeff's meticulous copies of Kurt's designs, but also by the examples of Jeff's own work that he had been privileged to see in the company of his old friend, the Dean of the Colombia School of Art. Nick smiled at Jeff's excitement, though he had to admit that he was a little overawed at the idea of meeting the woman who was seen as a guru of the fashion world. Then the lights dimmed and the sound system began to play; they all had to chuckle as Lady Gaga belted out, knowing full well that wherever in the room Kurt was watching intently from, he would be in total approval of the soundtrack. It was the first time that any of them had attended a fashion show, and so they took their cues on how to behave from those that were sitting close to them. When Mike strutted out in one of Kurt's suits, and then proceeded to dance down the catwalk with his usual effortless grace and style, they joined in the applause, which grew even louder as Tina waltzed down to join him. Their moves were magnificent, but they did nothing to distract the eye from the perfection of Kurt's designs.

Mike and Tina were followed by Mercedes, who walked out in a long, flowing, beautiful gown, designed to fit neatly, accentuate her shape and to flatter. She was immediately recognised, but the applause that came was mainly for her ensemble. As she stopped at the end of the catwalk, she turned to look back, and David followed her out in an outfit that made Thad, Nick and Sebastian gasp and turn to look at Jeff, who just grinned. Essentially, David had just stepped out in a Dalton uniform; the colouring was identical, but the fit and cut of both the blazer and trousers was much more flattering. David opened the blazer as he walked down, to reveal a waistcoat underneath, also tailored to fit, but with styling that made it look like a vintage piece. There was no monogram on the blazer; nothing to indicate where it might have originated. As he took the final few steps to stand by Mercedes, he smiled, then took great care to show off the buckle fastening shoes that he was wearing with it. Once more, the applause had been loud, and grew as David linked his arm with Mercedes and strolled off again. As they did so, Sebastian turned to Thad and said "Can we please have that voted in as the new official Warbler uniform, Thad? Because that makes our current uniform look like something you would buy at K-mart."

"That's a trifle harsh, Sebastian…but yes, I concur. I would love one of those for myself, but with the monogram in the right place, possibly," said Thad, turning to Nick who was nodding enthusiastically at the concept.

"Well, it is a good thing that you are saying that because there just might already be one of those each for all of us in the process of being made; one for all of the current alumni Warblers and for those current Warblers closest to us," said Jeff with another grin. "David is already keeping his. He just loves the fact that despite the fact that Kurt only wore the uniform for a short time, it inspired him to create something that is worthy of appearing in a fashion show."

Whilst they had talked quietly, a few more models had passed along the catwalk in Kurt's designs, each of then greeted with applause, as Isabelle continued to narrate from one side, with details of the fabric, the design features and the reasoning behind each piece. The final woman to step up and walk along the catwalk was Carole; he had designed more than one item with her in mind, and it also showed to all of those gathered that the collection was not just for the young and stick thin. She was already smiling as Isabelle introduced her, and when she explained exactly who she was, there was a round of applause. Her outfit was chic and yet timeless; classic in its design; stylish and elegant. She was followed out by Trent and Rory, in their by now famous wedding suits - as Isabelle put it, they were the garments that had started the whole process.

Then it was all over. It was now the point where normally all of the models would return to the stage with the designer in tow. In this case though, as they all assembled, it was Burt that stepped up to the podium, where Isabelle handed the microphone over to him, whilst she herself went to stand by Carole. "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming here this evening for the launch of the KEH Collection. All of the outfits you have seen before you this evening were designed by my late son, Kurt, in his junior and senior years of high school. When he started to design them, his life was to be honest, not the best; he was a victim of bullying, and was being let down by the system. His life changed eventually, but through the hardest times, he was still inspired enough to design everything you have seen. I had no idea that they even existed until the day his good friend Trent came and asked me if he knew where my late son's design book had gone. I had no idea, but after a lot of searching around, it appeared. The reason that Trent wanted the book is now common knowledge - he wanted access to the suit that Kurt had designed for him and termed his wedding suit, for the day he married Rory, my adopted son. The sketch was redrawn by another of Kurt's friends, Mr Jeff Sterling-Duval - and that is how the initials JS-D appeared on the designs that were leaked by the tailor. Those drawings were taken to the young lady that gave my son his first big break here in New York, Ms Isabelle Wright, who gave him an internship at _Vogue_. She had spotted something in my boy, and for him, she found a tailor to manufacture the suits. In the aftermath of the _GQ_ cover story, Isabelle found out all about the book; one look at it and she was asking me to agree to the creation of the collection we have seen tonight. I was reluctant at first, I must admit, but then my lovely wife Carole, who looks simply stunning this evening by the way, reminded me of something. This was always one of Kurt's dreams; he might not have attained it before his life was snatched away, but it would be a memorial to him in death. So, as he would have wished, all of the items you have seen here tonight will be available to purchase in a strictly limited quantity. All proceeds from the sale of these items will go directly to charity. Finally, I would like to thank the people that have made this possible - Isabelle Wright and _Vogue_ for putting together this show; Jeff Sterling-Duval, whose artistic talents helped to bring Kurt's designs from rough sketches and into reality, and who also gave his services for free; and finally, all of our models this evening, including several of Kurt's friends, not least the talented Miss Mercedes Jones. Lastly, Kurt, if you are watching and listening to all of this, wherever you are, I trust that you will agree that we have done your designs justice…"

There was loud applause as Burt finished his speech, and then Isabelle returned to the podium. "Several years ago, more than I now care to admit, a young woman arrived in New York on a Greyhound bus from a small town in Ohio. She had aspirations that small town could not hope to fill; she was looking for a better chance to explore all of her hopes and dreams. She knew where she wanted to be; she knew exactly where she wanted to work. It was a hard battle, but by turning up at the door, day in, day out, she eventually managed to secure herself an internship. That girl was a hard worker; her talents recognised, she worked her way up through the ranks, until now, when I am the online editor for _Vogue_. One day, just over three years ago, a young man arrived at my office, seeking an internship. He was also from a small town in Ohio, and he had dreams. I liked him instantly as he reminded me of someone. I saw him occasionally pull out a sketch pad when he took a short break, and what I saw in those random doodles took my breath away. Whenever I approached him and asked about them, he would tell me that they were just scribbles, and then place the piece of paper he had just used in the shredder. I have to admit that, over time, Kurt became more than just an intern to me. I wanted for him the success that I had; he had the drive and the passion. Of course, his lay in other directions too; his song at the NYADA Winter Showcase that year was the talk of the town for days, not that he would ever acknowledge that. The dean of NYADA, Carmen Tibideaux, now a dear friend of mine, took it as his audition piece, and gave him a spot. With his college classes, he had to cut his hours - he only worked thirty instead of the seventy plus he had been. He had worked so much to forget the heartaches in his personal life…"

She paused for a moment, and then continued, as on a screen behind her appeared a photo of herself in her office flanked by Kurt and Blaine. "Blaine was the love of Kurt's life, and when they had problems - long distance relationships are not easy, as many of us will know - Kurt threw himself into his work. He was under the impression that he and Blaine were destined to be apart forever, but I might have given him some advice on Thanksgiving, and he might have taken it. The photograph behind me was taken on Blaine's second day living in the city. They might have been young, but they both knew what they wanted in life, and that was each other. They were engaged by the time this image was taken, but they told me then that their wedding was a long time off. They were just so happy to be together here, in the city that they both dreamed of living in. Everyone that knew them was happy for them, but then we began to hear disquieting rumours about a challenge to the laws concerning same-sex marriage, and suddenly, the wedding was brought forward. Between them, with some help from their friends, myself included, they organised a wedding in a whirlwind, including making their own suits, and those of the groomsmen; and the dresses for the groomsmaids. They were all as stunning as every item in the collection you have just witnessed. It was all set for a fairytale wedding - but, as we all know, our dreams can quite easily morph into our worst nightmares…"

She paused again, and took a breath. "Waking up on the day of the wedding to a phone call from a lady by the name of Emma Schuester; a call to tell me that Kurt was dead, murdered in an alley; it destroyed me. I hated this city, the whole world, and would quite happily have left there and then, never to return - but then I realised that was not what he would have wanted. Blaine was still alive, battered and broken. I knew what I had to do. I headed into the office, calling an emergency staff meeting; I did not want any of those people I worked with who had met him and known him to find out about his demise from the media. We cried together for the loss of a special young man; we prayed for Blaine. Our prayers were in vain, as he died two weeks later, and all our hearts were broken once more, not least because the news came on the same day that we found out who had killed Kurt. I have to admit that I lamented the loss of two talented young men…

Then, something that had been lost was given back to us; his schoolboy designs, in a portfolio discovered by the new tenants in his old home, who just happened to be old friends. Now we have the opportunity to honour the memory of these two young men, taken from the world for the simple reason that their sexuality and happiness offended someone that also despised their honesty. As Burt said, all proceeds from the sale of these garments, after costs, will go to charities that support young gay and lesbian people; to help save them from persecution and trauma; to help them realise their full potential; and to allow them to live in the safe and secure environment that they deserve. Thank you for coming; I hope that you, like me, appreciate the talent of Kurt Hummel, and will help support this initiative."


	63. Angelic Dreams & Socialite Schemes

_I was asked where Kurt was in the last chapter - well, here is his point of view. I might also have brought in a character from late Season 5 because they would be in the city after all..._

 **Angelic Dreams & Socialite Schemes**

After the two speeches, much of the remainder of the evening was taken up with meeting and greeting. Burt and Isabelle had ensured that everyone got a chance to meet the well known people that had been invited, along with the wealthy and the socialites. Jeff had at first felt more than a little uneasy when Isabelle had taken him to meet her ultimate boss, Anna Wintour, but now, as she lead her over in his direction, he felt calmer, though that might have been down to the fact that Nick's hand was comfortably placed in the small of his back. He stayed calm as she once again praised him for his interpretation of Kurt's original sketches, to which he replied that all he had really done was copy out the already completed originals, just making them more clear and usable for the tailors. That modest trait had endeared him to her on their first meeting; now, as he introduced Nick as 'my lovely husband' she smiled broadly; she came to see that he too was a polite, modest man, who blushed as Jeff told her all about his prowess in the kitchen, and how his innate sense of justice made him perfect for his future career in the law. For her part, as she left them to move on to the next guest, she handed Jeff her card, and made him promise to call her on Monday, as she was always looking for the services of a good illustrator as an alternative to the usual glossy photos; she saw it as harking back to a more elegant time, as did many of the readers. She also had a number of contacts who would also be more than willing to direct work his way on a freelance basis.

As she walked away to be introduced to Tina and Mike, Nick whispered in Jeff's ear "And you thought on the day before our wedding that I would be marrying a 'doodler'. By the sound of it, your skills are going to place you in high demand, just as I always knew that you would be, my love." Jeff could only nod, and smile broadly as he caught the eye of Kurt, who had heard every word, and was giving him a big thumbs up.

The whole evening was of course a bittersweet one if your name happened to be Kurt Hummel-Warbler. Never in his wildest flights of fancy had he imagined that one day those sketches he had made to pass the time and relax himself at Dalton and McKinley would form the basis of his own collection; and that it would be launched in front of the great and the good at the Plaza Hotel in New York. He had recognised many of the people there that evening from the pages of the celebrity magazines, and his collection of _Vogue_. He had seen several Broadway names in the crowd - he was certain that he had seen Patti Lupone near to April Rhodes; the latter had been telling people that she had met Kurt, naturally. Blaine claimed that he had glimpsed Bette Midler and Meryl Streep, but Kurt had not seen them. He would have to ask Isabelle for confirmation one way or the other later.

It was wonderful and the stuff of dreams; an evening of glamour and celebrity in his honour. Only problem was that, for most people, he wasn't there. He had not walked out with the models at the end to be photographed, to be interviewed by the waiting press. His dapper husband had not leapt up from the audience onto the catwalk to present him with a bunch of red and yellow roses, and seal the evening with a passionate kiss. He had watched from backstage, standing in the very spot that he as the designer would have occupied if he had still been alive; but he was invisible except to four of the models. Mike had winked at him as he had been about to dance out at the start of the show; David had saluted him; as for his girls, both had been blinking back the tears as they saw him. The fact was that he was a success. The dead toast of the town. A posthumous designer before his first collection had even been released.

He was so grateful to everyone that it had been, and that he had still been able to help. He had sat with Isabelle in her office, once everyone else had gone, and had told her what fabrics he imagined for each piece, what detailing was required, what buttons to use. Under his direction, Jeff had changed a line on his drawing, or add a detail which Kurt now knew to be needed. He still had the final say on everything; though it had made Isabelle seem odd when at his instruction, she had trashed one dress, because now that he saw it made up, he realised that he had got the colour palette all wrong. He had still managed to hide things from his friends; although Jeff had drawn the Dalton inspired suit that David had worn that night, he had not known about the exact colours of the suit until that morning. When he had walked out, Kurt could not resist taking a peek out to see the reactions; he had been overjoyed to see the faces of the Warblers, and had seen the look of adoration that Blaine had thrown in his direction from his seat next to Burt and Carole. Best of all though was that his mom had been sitting at Blaine's side, her smile wide, and her eyes filled with pride. She had mentioned the show to everyone in the heavenly realm for the last few weeks, and so it was no great shock to Kurt when he saw, standing invisible at the back of the crowd, some of the most fashionable women in history. Marilyn Monroe next to Jackie O was a shock, given the rumours, but he dismissed those thoughts when he realised they were here… His big worry now was that they and the others gathered there might ask him to design for them. Wonderful though that would be, he had enough on his plate with the project at the children's centre and his collections. As it was, he had already begun to make new 'uniforms' for both his husband and Wes in anticipation of tonight…

Kurt wandered through the room alone for a while, at his own request. Finn had come to watch the main part of the show, and had applauded loudly, beaming with pride at his brother, but had left after the speeches - as ever, he had his collections to make. Kurt had left Wes and Blaine with his mother, and he could see the three of them talking discreetly in a corner with Burt and Carole, with David and Mercedes approaching. He had to admit that the dress he had chosen for her, and that Isabelle had personally overseen, looked absolutely stunning on his friend. It made her look so elegant; accentuating her curves, but with a modest neck line. The fabric was the highest quality, and the detailing was exquisite. He knew that she loved it; he had seen her tears of delight when she had first been presented with it - and how she had cried even more when she had put it one and seen herself in the mirror. The press had certainly taken a lot of photos of her this evening, and to his secret delight, she had insisted that David was standing by her side in most of them; the two of them were coming round to the idea of letting the world know, subtly at first, that she was not single, by having him at her side whenever she could. The rumour mill would go into overdrive, but that was not an issue. She loved David, and no-one was going to alter that; she would be Mercedes Thompson one day, at least for official purposes. Just now, she had a career to carve out, and David understood and was happy to wait. Kurt could not help but think that the former Warbler councilman was perfect for her.

He looked across to where Mike and Tina had been cornered by one of the elderly socialites that demanded an invitation to these sort of events. She was talking with animation to Mike, and more or less ignoring Tina, which Kurt knew from experience was a bad thing to do. His friend was nothing if not feisty and protective where Mike was concerned, and if the woman was not careful, then Tina was liable to scratch her eyes out in a moment. He sidled up to her, and whispered "Keep it cool, dear. Mike will not allow himself to be swayed by an old hag like her." Tina did not seem to be so sure of that from her expression, and as he listened to the woman telling Mike that his dancing was wonderful; asking if he could sing, and when he told her he could, telling him that she could make him a star by promoting him and mentoring him into contacts with all the people that really mattered in the city.

Mike kept nodding at her as she spoke, as if in agreement, but eventually, when she finally paused to take breath and the torrent of talk stopped, he smiled, then said "If I am being honest with you, ma'am, then I think that I am doing reasonably well by myself. I am a student at one of the most competitive and highly rated dance schools in the world, and have already been head hunted by the New York City Ballet. That allows me the freedom to show my true potential in the field that my true passion lies in. Dancing makes me feel free and alive, and the ballet course I am taking pushes me to my limits and to be the best. As for my singing - well, it is a lot better than it used to be, thanks to my beautiful girlfriend Tina, but it is nowhere near good enough to propel me to stardom. So, I will have to say thank you for your kind offer, Mrs Dolloway, but I think that I can carry on alone…"

The lady in question smiled, then stalked away, in the direction of Sebastian. Kurt knew that Isabelle had talked about him as being a rising star of NYADA and one of Kurt's friends in her build up for the show. Kurt didn't quite know who to feel most sorry for in the upcoming conversation… He turned his attention back to Tina and Mike, and was pleased to see they were hugging. He was so proud of the way his designs looked on them. They were well made - Mike's suit had taken the strain of all of his moves on the catwalk with no problem - no burst seams or ripped stitches. At his side, Tina looked so sophisticated and glamorous; as with Mercedes, the finished product had been made with her in mind, and it showed. He knew that Tina was desperate to pull him into a tight hug to express her gratitude - so was Mike for that matter - but that would have to wait until there were fewer prying eyes.

A sound of slightly raised discordant voices came to his ear, and he did not even need to turn around to know that Sebastian was being less polite than Mike had been in telling Mrs Dolloway where to go….

"I love Dave. He is my other half and I will not betray him by 'pretending to be straight' as you so eloquently put it, just for a shot at fame. To quote a song someone made me sing at karaoke one evening 'I am what I am, and what I am needs no excuses!' If you are desperately seeking America's next great straight male performer then I would kindly suggest that you take your aging carcass elsewhere. Now, if you would excuse me, June, I must go and chat with my married friends Nick and Jeff, then go and call my husband…" With that Sebastian stomped away, and was delighted to see that she had cringed as she mentioned that he had a husband…

His path now brought him towards Isabelle, and with a sharp intake of breath, Kurt suddenly saw that Blaine had been right; she and Ms Wintour were standing with Bette and Meryl, leafing through his design portfolio. He saw to his absolute delight that Isabelle already had items marked down next to their names, and she was in the process of adding more. "I told you that I saw them," said Blaine, appearing at Kurt's side. He had said those words with a hint of smugness in his voice.

"You did, honey, and I am so sorry that I doubted you for a moment. It's just that now they are ordering from my collection; two globally famous actresses will be wearing something that I probably sketched in a quiet moment between classes at Dalton! It is all just so…"

"…justified, given the sheer amount of talent that you possess, my love. This day was always going to come along. I know that you wanted Broadway, and I am certain, had Hunter not come along and intervened, you would have got there. But you could and should have had this too. Your talent was so great that one day I would just have sent your sketchbook to Isabelle myself - I had been thinking about it - just to see this all happen for you. I can just picture your dad's face when you tell him what is happening right now - your mom and Carole will be so excited too. And then they will also be as pleased and as proud as I am." Blaine leant in and kissed Kurt, whose face was suffused with pleasure. Then they watched together as the two ladies departed, overhearing them agreeing that they would have to tell their respective current co-stars about this collection….eventually.

Anna had also left Isabelle's side, to go and talk to an angry looking June Dolloway, and that allowed her to come over to stand by Kurt and Blaine, and talk. "You saw that, I assume; they both ordered 4 pieces from the collection; the same dress in one case but in very different colours… But here is the big one; Ms Streep ordered a ball gown, specifying a few little creative touches of her own to make it all the more unique, so that she could wear it at the Oscars, Kurt. Meryl Streep will be wearing a gown you designed at the biggest night in the Hollywood calendar next year!" Blaine's reflexes were quick, which was just as well, as Kurt promptly fainted in shock. "I had no idea that an angel could faint," said Isabelle, as Blaine himself tried to come to terms with the news.

Suddenly Elizabeth and Wes were at their side, the latter having dashed across the room so fast that the breeze he created caught the hair of those he passed - and also revealed to everyone that June Dolloway was wearing a wig as it slipped off in his slipstream. Burt, Carole, Trent and Rory had also seen Kurt pass out, and approached swiftly, their movement attracting the attention of the others… By the time that Kurt began to revive, all of those in the room that could see him had gathered loosely around him, their faces filled with concern. His first words were "Was it true Blaine? Did I just dream that?"

With a smile, Blaine replied, "It is true, my love. Ms Meryl Streep, international star, will be gracing the red carpet at the Dolby Theater in L.A., at next years Oscar ceremony, in a dress designed by my super talented husband…" There were gasps, shrieks of delight, and even a little bit of applause from an overexcited Tina. As phones were pulled out to pass the news on to those not present, everyone was more than pleased; this was beyond their wildest expectations.

As they headed back to the loft on the Subway later, having eschewed a cab, it suddenly hit Jeff like a ton of bricks. "Nicky, you do realise that I did the drawings that they saw when she chose that gown? I wonder if she would like me to do it again, but this time with all those little changes in place for the benefit of the dressmakers?"

"I honestly don't know, Jeffie. Maybe you should, because Ms Streep might wish to have a copy to keep at home; you should ask Isabelle tomorrow."

"A drawing of mine, owned by a film star? Do you really think so, Nicky?"

"I think so," said Mike, before Nick could reply. He was sitting on the other side of Jeff, Tina fast asleep on his shoulder. "She would be really lucky to have a Jeff Sterling-Duval original, in my opinion, and I think she will know that. Of course, we also cannot forget that all of this; the glamour and glitz; Kurt's success; and all the charity money we will raise is down to one person - Nick. If he had not found that sketchbook; had not then used it to help out with the issue around those suits…"

Jeff grabbed Nick's hand, and held it tightly in his own. "He is right, my darling. If it wasn't for you…" Nick for his part said nothing. In his opinion he had done very little. Then again, Nick Sterling-Duval had always been known for his modesty…


	64. Thanksgiving Plans

**Thanksgiving Plans**

In the few days in between the collection's launch and Thanksgiving, life had much more of its usual normality to it. They woke up, they went to school or work, came home, did course work and then went to bed. One bright spot that did occur in those days was when Jeff was summoned to meet the Dean at school. This made him very fearful at first; sometimes as he watched many of his classmates, he often had little moments of doubt when he believed that he did not deserve to be there. He had always been dreading the day when he would be found out… His nightmares seemed justified when on entering the Dean's office he saw that the Vice Principal was also in attendance with a severe looking woman that he had never seen before…

The subject of the meeting was still fresh in his mind as he headed home to 'date night' with Nick. They had both sat down and agreed during the summer vacation that as their workload would only increase as they entered their next year at college, they should set aside one night a week when all of it would be forgotten for a few hours, and they would do 'couple things.' Tonight Nick was cooking dinner, unaware that Jeff had news for him; he was in a bold, experimental frame of mind, combining flavours to see if they worked. His meal tonight had been inadvertently inspired by Drew, who had tweeted a picture from an Oxford food store of a ready meal box, which he condemned as a travesty. Nick had at first agreed wholeheartedly, but then his curiosity had got the better of him. He had tried a mini experiment one night when both Mike and Jeff had been working - and the results had been surprisingly good.

As Jeff opened the front door, he was greeted by his usual welcoming miaow from Caleb, no longer the thin kitten of 8 months ago; indeed, Nick was now concerned that they might have to put him on a diet. He purred as he entwined himself round Jeff's legs as the young man took off his coat and hung it up. Then he followed Jeff into the kitchen, to wait patiently as his humans greeted each other before they remembered the important things like feeding him… As Jeff walked in, Nick went over and kissed him, then told him to go and wash up as dinner was nearly ready. He was answered with a jocular salute, and then Nick was alone once more with an expectant cat. He placed some off-cuts of chicken into Caleb's bowl, then pulled the dish out of the oven. Meanwhile, Jeff had washed his hands, and was now sat at the table, which was covered with a cloth and set with precision. A bottle of red wine was on the table, already opened - the joys of both now being 21 - and as Nick came through with the meal, Jeff poured them both a small glass. Nick placed the dish on the table in front of his husband, and waited. Jeff was instantly confused - he could see lasagne, but he could smell curry…

"It's lasagne, but made with curried chicken rather than ground beef and tomatoes. It sounds so wrong, but trust me…" said Nick. He placed a portion in front of Jeff, who looked at it, then tentatively took a first forkful. To his surprise, he immediately realised that it did work, and if anything, it was better than the normal version. He also smiled as he thought that you really did have to be deeply in love and sure of the other person to even consider serving up curry on a 'date night'. "So, how was your day," Nick asked as he handed Jeff a bread roll."

"I had to go to a meeting with the Dean; the Vice-Principal was there too, along with a really forbidding looking woman, so as you can imagine…" Nick put down his fork, and placed his hand over Jeff's, a look of deep concern on his face. "She actually turned out to be really nice. She was a literary agent for a number of children's authors, and one of them was needing an illustrator for their new series of stories. I had been suggested to her by a friend of hers that works at _Vogue_ … I have got to think about it, but it will be well paid, and the drawings that I do for the books will be counted towards my coursework."

Nick's face had lit up by now, and he nearly shouted in delight. "That is wonderful Jeffie! What fantastic news! First you have a budding career as a fashion illustrator, and now in literature too… I mean you do want to do it - if you don't, you can always say no…"

"I do want to Nicky. The story sounds really good, and it features a number of characters from other well known tales, so I have some notion of what they should look like. I have to meet the author at some point, but he is also happy for me to put my own spin on it. They gave me a contract to look over - do you think that Grace…?"

Nick smiled, and replied, "I am sure that Grace wouldn't mind a bit checking it over for you, and I can check it out too. I am so happy and proud of you. I always told you that you would be the one to go places…"

Before they knew it, Thanksgiving was upon them. Nick had decided that he was going to be brave, or very stupid, and prepare his first ever big celebration meal. The whole loft had begun to smell delicious from Monday onwards, as he began to bake cookies, carefully timing his big Thanksgiving batch for a night when Jeff was working at the diner alongside Mike, and the two of them could not help themselves to the fresh cookies the moment they came out of the oven - Jeff was notorious for that and Mike was picking up the habit. He was also baking a ham, which he intended to serve cold on the big day - it was honey glazed, and he had studded it with cloves. When he finally took it out of the oven just before heading to bed, the small piece that he had sampled had been absolutely delicious. He then returned it to cool in the relative safety of the oven itself; there it would be relatively hidden from snackers, of the human and feline variety. It was on Wednesday that his work really began. Rather than rush around on the day, he began to prepare the vegetables for the oven and the stove; he made his own cranberry sauce; and finally prepared a batch of bread dough that we would bake up on the day. His homemade soup was prepared and simmering nicely; and in the fridge, above the turkey already prepared to just be placed in the oven, were an apple and a blueberry pie. There had been enough pumpkin pie going around in the aftermath of Halloween that they were all sick of the sight of it.

When Mike and Jeff had seen the size of the turkey that Nick had bought, they had both been startled; it was large, and Jeff had quietly whispered to Mike "We are going to be eating leftovers for weeks…" Caleb had overheard, but did not see why that was a bad thing. Nick had heard him, and had just tapped the side of his nose and winked. He waited until the day before to announce that they would be joined for dinner by Sebastian, Dave and Paul, as well as the expected Tina. Then at seven on the Wednesday night, there came a knock at the door. Mike was at work, and Nick was busy in the kitchen, so Jeff got up from where he was watching TV, Caleb in his arms, and went to answer the door. He opened it to reveal his mom and dad. He was shocked to say the least - he had spoken to his mom the night before, and she had told him that they would be spending the holiday quietly at home in Ohio. "Mom! Dad! What are you doing here?"

"We were invited to spend Thanksgiving with our son and his husband, by said husband. He was going to tell you, but we asked for it to be a surprise and he agreed to go along with it. We are booked into a nice hotel not far from here, and we just thought we would pop over to say we're here," his dad replied.

"But didn't you once say to me, mom, that you could not imagine spending Thanksgiving anywhere else but at home? Not that I am not pleased to see you!" said Jeff.

"When I said that you were still at school, and were always able to come home and join us on the day itself. Now this is your home, and so we both realised that it would make sense to come to you instead; it means that someone else has to do all the cooking for a change! I take it that Nick is in the kitchen?" said Judy with a smile.

"He is!" came a disembodied voice, "But if his husband doesn't remember his manners shortly and invite his parents in, I will be coming out there armed with a rolling pin…."

Jeff laughed, and stood back to let his parents enter. He took their coats, handing Caleb to his mom to free his hands. The cat looked a little unsure at first, but then as she began to pet him and tell him how adorable he was, he realised that Jeff would not hand him to any person that he did not approve of, so she had to be ok. They made their way into the kitchen, where Nick greeted them warmly from his spot at the sink, next to which were a pile of peeled potatoes, being prepared to be roasted the next day. Judy at once offered to help, but Nick declined, saying that everything was going to plan, and that this was his last job of the night. Caleb found himself handed to Jeff's dad as his son went to make coffee, and his wife followed Nick around the room, as he showed her all the things that he had prepared. She still marvelled at how far he had come in a culinary sense; two years ago he could barely managed to scramble an egg. Now he had a whole Thanksgiving dinner well under control, and after sampling his soup, the cranberry sauce, and the tiniest sliver of his baked ham, she could see that in terms of food, the whole day was destined to be a roaring success.

Across the landing, plans were in full swing too. Santana and Brittany were going to be working the following day, allowing Michelle to head to Boston to spend the day with her parents. Rachel and Cooper had both managed to get the day off, and so he, along with Grace, would be joining Rachel and Sam for a quiet celebration. This would be the first time for a very long time that Sam had not spent the day with either his own family, or Burt and Carole. The latter were spending the day in Baltimore with the Bernsteins; the invitation had been made back in July at the weddings, and had been accepted. The house would be full as the Nixon family had also been invited to join them for the gathering. For Sam, having Cooper around, his 'big brother', would make the day pretty special for him, and they could always gatecrash the party across the landing later on the pretext of catching up with Grace's brother. Sam had volunteered to eat a Vegan meal with Rachel, but she had declined his offer and told him that as long as someone else cooked the meat, then she did not mind. This of course meant that Grace found herself invited to somebody else's house to cook. After getting over the initial shock, she had agreed, but would be cooking a turkey breast joint, not a whole bird. As for Santana and Brittany, they would have their lunch late in the day when Dani came in for her shift - and by having it at the diner, they would save on the trouble of washing up.

Artie, Kitty, Ryder and Marley were already on their way back to Ohio in a car that Kitty had booked three months in advance; it wasn't the longest of drives, and a rota had been set up so that none of them had to drive for long. Artie wished not for the first time that he could be part of that rota, but that would require an adapted car, and that would make it difficult for the others to drive. So he contented himself with sitting in the front passenger seat, and helping whichever of his friends was driving with the navigation. He would do so again when they repeated the trip in the other direction on Friday…

Luke and Duncan had headed away on the train and would travel to the nearest station to home, where they would be picked up by a member of family - who it would be they did not know for sure until they alighted at the station. When they arrived, they were both delighted to see that it was Tommy that stood there waiting for them. The whole O'Hara clan, including Sean, would be spending the holiday with Jeff's mother and aunts. Luke's sister Flora would be there too, but his brother Dylan had opted to stay at Dalton, joining the small group of boys that stayed there as their homes were either too far away, or whose family would not be present. He would be assisted with them by the Carmichael's, who had undertaken this task quite happily for years. The idea of spending the day in the company of the older couple made Dylan's heart feel light and fuzzy for some reason; he always felt so content when he spent time with them, as if it was meant. For the Carmichael's, it meant that they spent the holiday with the young man whose soul had been their own son a long time ago, and that was something that once they never could have hoped for.

On the other side of the country that Wednesday night, Thad, David and Mercedes were already celebrating Thanksgiving, and tucking into their dinner. It was all for a very good reason. At the last moment, a petulant, spoiled, big name star had pulled out of a charity concert that was being held in L.A., and was going to be televised from coast to coast, citing 'personal reasons.' Mercedes had been asked to take their place. It was no small thing to be asked to do at short notice; there would only be time for one rehearsal on the day itself, and she would be on stage with some of the biggest names in music. It was just what her profile needed to give it even more of a boost. Before she performed, the hosts would tell everyone how she had dropped all of her own plans at the last minute, and stepped in to support the charitable cause. The audience would be in the millions; she was already big, but this would potentially make her huge. David had agreed to go with her, but Thad had declined an invite. He had a large essay to write for college, and he would make full use of the quiet time the next day to do so. After all, his only tasks would be to organise a group Skype for all the Warblers, and then make a quick phone call to his brother Ollie. His parents had not called him last year, and they had not answered when he had tried to call them later. This year, he would not even bother trying; he would be thankful for his good friends, a good brother, and the ability to see angels. He had half an idea that Wes would pay him a visit at some point - and being able to snuggle next to him on the couch as Mercedes sang on television was more than enough to make his day.

Beats and Flint had plans that were remarkably similar; the big difference being that in one case, everyone knew about it; in the other, next to no-one did. Both were taking their significant other home to meet their parents. Flint had headed straight from his final class at school to the airport, where he would meet up with Izzy and fly out to Kansas. Rather than turn up on his parents' doorstep late at night, they had booked themselves into a decent hotel on the outskirts of Manhattan for the night - in separate rooms, of course. Flint was nothing if not a complete gentleman when it came to Izzy.

Beats had headed discretely into New York, and had met up with Elliot at Penn Station. It was a short walk from there to the Greyhound bus that would take them overnight in the direction of Ohio, and Beats' parents. Both of them were nervous about the reception that they would receive at the Harper house. His parents knew about his declared sexuality, and had for some time, but he knew that would not stop them hoping that he would bring his future wife home with him someday. After all, he had never had a boyfriend that he had told them about until now. Elliott for his part was dreading the idea that he might bring disharmony to the house on what was a day about family. He still had very bittersweet memories about the last Thanksgiving dinner he had attended with his own family; that day had gone from pleasant to total disaster, because he had decided that it was the ideal time to come out. The atmosphere after that had not been cold; it had been frigid. He had been given an hour by his parents to gather his stuff and get out. There had been recriminations - his little brother had cried, and that had hurt him more than his parents' rejection and his sister's indifference. He guessed that she would be in her junior year of high school by now, his brother in his senior. He had not been able to make contact with them since he had been, to all intents and purposes, thrown out that day. His father had gone so far as to change their cellphones to stop him calling and vice versa. He did not want that for Beats. As the bus roared out of the city, Elliott noticed the once familiar sign at an exit from the freeway, pointing to what had once been his home town. He was a New Yorker now. He fell into an uneasy sleep as they drove on, blissfully unaware that Beats had a big surprise for him the following day…

In the midst of all the plans and celebrations, one person had invented a tissue of lies for his roommates. Seth had told Luke and Duncan that he had a late flight on that Wednesday night back to Ohio, and would be spending the day in the bosom of his loving family. He wasn't. He had come to the conclusion that rather than spending a lot of money on an overcrowded flight to fly home and then have to listen to his parents and older siblings argue yet again, he would opt out claiming poverty and make arrangements to spend the day elsewhere. By the time the week had started though, he realised that he had made a serious error of judgement. Everyone had their plans, and there was no place for him in them. His roommates were off to a family reunion in Vermont, and though he had been dropping hints at work, Nick had been so obsessed with his classwork and his preparations for the day that he had missed the oblique hints that Seth had been making in trying to wangle an invite to his party. Now he was sat alone in the apartment in Bushwick, watching television with very little interest, preparing himself for a Thanksgiving dinner of canned noodle soup, a turkey sandwich (the store having already sold out of ready prepared TV Turkey dinners by the time he got there) and a box of jelly donuts. No-one was there to watch the tears trickle down his face as on screen, a TV sitcom family shared a big meal in holiday mood. He would be fine; if it got too lonely, he would head into Manhattan on the subway, and find a diner open. Not the Spotlight though. He did not need people to know; he did not need their pity…

Little did he know that on the island, someone else had just received a call to say that their own plans for the next day would also be coming to naught. Mason had been planning to travel up early the next day to New Haven to spend the day with Jane at Yale. He had his train ticket booked and collected; reservations made at a good restaurant for dinner. Only 24 hours ago, they had been talking on the phone, discussing how much they were looking forward to having a good catch up… Now, just before 10pm, all of that had been nixed. There had been a knock at her dorm room door, and Jane had opened it to find her parents on the threshold. They had booked rooms at a little guest house in Vermont at the last minute so they could spend a nice family day together, as a surprise. Jane knew better than to try and negotiate; to say she had other plans made. She had asked for a few minutes to pack, and then called Mason to apologise. So it was that by 10.05pm on the day before Thanksgiving, Mason found himself with no plans. He knew that if he went downstairs and told Grace, or Cooper when he arrived home from the theatre, he would be invited to accompany them, but he hated the idea of imposing on people. No, he resolved to leave at the time he would have done so anyway, and pretend to go; he was sure he could find somewhere else to spend the holiday…


	65. Thanksgiving: Seth & Mason

**Thanksgiving: Seth & Mason**

Seth woke up early on Thanksgiving morning and made himself some breakfast. He was impressed by how, even here in the big city, there were far fewer people on the street that morning, and there was a lot less traffic. He decided not to put on the television - he did not need to listen and watch as the world made themselves joyful on this the most American of holidays. Instead, he put on a good compilation track of songs on his player, and just chilled as he ate his cereal and toast. Once he had done so, he decided that he would make use of the day to go and visit some of the city's landmarks that he had not had the chance to visit yet. He was not sure that the Empire State Building would even be open that day, but if it was, he would most certainly take that in. It would be so easy just to sit at home all day and mope, but he was stronger than that. It was far more constructive to use the day to do things he normally did not have time for. He thanked his lucky stars that the public transport system did not grind to a complete halt on the holidays; he had heard from Ethan that on Christmas Day in Britain, all the trains stopped running, and even the iconic red buses of London ground to a halt. He made his way to the subway, and found the station so eerily quiet that he felt quite startled. He wished the ticket clerk a Happy Thanksgiving as he passed their booth, and was not shocked when their only response was a look which said 'out-of-towner' in return. He had checked before leaving, and the Empire State Building was open, so he decided to make that his first stop. He could stay up there for a while, if he was clever…

In a different borough, Mason had woken up, got dressed up smartly, and then headed down to the kitchen. He was greeted warmly by a smiling Grace, who informed him that Cooper was still in bed, but she had come down herself at the usual time so that she could make him a decent breakfast before his trip. He was grateful as he tucked in to the grilled turkey bacon, scrambled eggs and toast, as he knew in his heart that it might well be some time before he got dinner that day. Then, after glancing at his watch and lying about not having long until his train, he went to leave; as he did so, Grace handed him a packet of sandwiches.

"It can be a long journey on a busy train at Thanksgiving, and I know what young guys like yourself are like from Nick; it could also be busy when you get to the restaurant, and I don't want to think of you going hungry."

Mason took them from her with a smile, then hugged her. Then, after wishing her a very Happy Thanksgiving, he headed in the direction of Grand Central Terminal, where he managed to get a full refund on his ticket from a sentimental clerk. He then found a seat, and waited there for a while, just admiring the glorious architecture of the building. He had passed through it in a hurry more than once, but today he had more time, and there were also far fewer people scurrying about. He sat and was able to take in all the little details for the first time. After all, he had a whole day to kill. It was true that Grace and Cooper would head out to Brooklyn at some point, so he could always sneak home for lunch, but until then, he had to find something to occupy his time…

The line at the Empire State Building had been short, and Seth found himself heading up in the elevator on his own with the operator, who looked delighted to be at work on the holiday - not! Then he was up on the lower of the observation decks, and he headed out to the south side. He had seen pictures of the view from up here before, but his first glimpse took his breath away. He had been blessed with decent weather, and he could see for miles. He named the landmarks one by one in his head, noting how tiny the Statue of Liberty looked from this height and distance. He glanced down, and gasped as he saw how small the people and cars looked on the streets far below. Then he headed to the east side, where Long Island stretched out before him. He tried to see if he could pinpoint his home neighbourhood, but even with the bridges over the East River as a reference point, the sheer sprawl of the houses made it nigh on impossible. His eyes then went round to the graceful lines of the Chrysler Building, and he couldn't help but wonder what it must have been like to live in New York at the time these marvellous buildings were being constructed; the thirties, when big business wanted to flaunt its wealth in these glamorous skyscrapers, towering about the elevated railroads, and the crowded dwellings of the poorest people on the island below…

He suddenly became aware that he had company; there was a smartly dressed young man with a backpack at his side, also looking to the east as if trying to spot something. Seth looked up, and froze. The other man then saw his face, and did the same. "Mason? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be…?"

"I could ask you the same, Seth! What brings you up here, with a sad face, on Thanksgiving?"

"Why don't I tell you, after we have had our fill of the view? We can go and get a coffee, and share our tales of woe…"

That was exactly what the two of them proceeded to do, sat in a Starbucks near Penn Station. Seth found that he could sympathise wholeheartedly with the other young man; he had plans that had been undone in a moment by the actions of others, by events outwith his own control. His own situation was of his own making, and he knew, as Mason did, that if he had come clean and confessed to the fact that he was going to be alone, then he would have been sitting in one of the lofts in Brooklyn now. They both also realised without saying that if Mason had come clean to Grace then he would have been taken with herself and Cooper. She would not have wanted for him to be alone, not today. "We're quite the pair, aren't we? Not wanting to bother anyone else, so having to spend the day alone," remarked Mason as he sipped his cappuccino.

"Well, we aren't alone now; the two of us can celebrate together, and be thankful that by serendipity, we managed to bump into each other on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building," said Seth with a smile.

Mason smiled right back, and replied, "Ok, so what are we going to do now? Cooper and Grace will have left for their dinner with Sam and Rachel by now, so we could head over to Murray Hill for a while; maybe play some computer games for a bit?"

"That actually sounds like a good plan," said Seth, and having finished their coffees, they headed back along 34th Street, past the closed stores, pausing only at Duane Reed at 3rd Avenue to pick up some chips, soda and candy - the store where Sebastian and Dave had nearly been shot, Seth pointed out - en route to the now empty house. For some reason they still tiptoed up the stairs to Mason's room, like a pair of naughty boys who were anxious that their parents should not find out they were there. Mason set up the games console whilst Seth found a couple of glasses and poured the soda. Then they settled down for a gaming session.

In the end though, they did not play seriously for very long. Seth had asked Mason how he was getting on at school, and he had started to wax lyrical about NYADA; how it was tough, but that he was enjoying all the challenges that it threw at him. He in turn listened intently as Seth told him all about his engineering course at Columbia. Then the conversation moved on to their respective roommates; Mason revelled in telling him just how 'parental' Grace and Cooper both were, and to prove his point, he pulled the sandwiches that Grace had made him out of his bag, and the two of them shared them. Seth spoke about the comfortable way things were with Luke and Duncan; how it was almost like being back at Dalton. He hadn't realised until the moment that they had left for Vermont that he actually found their presence a great source of comfort. Their quiet domesticity, the fact that they were clearly in love… He had witnessed it before with Nick and Jeff, and then in Colin and Edward in his own days at Dalton. He envied them in a way. Mason for his turn told him all about Spencer and Alistair; about how he sometimes looked at them, and wondered why his own relationship with Jane seemed less passionate.

Seth had laughed at that point, and then pointed out that it was a bit strange, that two straight guys should be in such awe of the gay couples around them. "I know that this would get a reaction if I said it to anyone else, Mason, so promise me you will never repeat it…"

"Nothing either of us say will ever leave this room."

"I think that the gay guys actually had it better at Dalton. They could be together more. I mean, they didn't let them share a room once they were a couple, but I used to go to the library for a while if Colin asked me to; sometimes Skylar would appear at the door, come in, and settle down with his homework. Then there was the fact that nobody cared; it was normal and accepted. If I had been tempted…but no, never was. I grew close to Skylar, but he was like a little brother, nothing else."

"Spencer and Alistair didn't get much grief at McKinley either, but that was down to a combination of status, good luck and timing more than anything else. We all knew what happened to Kurt back in his day…"

They carried on talking for a good while after that, the game forgotten. They talked about family, friends and experiences. They found that they had a surprising amount in common in terms of hobbies and musical taste. They even burst into song together at one point, and then both creased up with laughter in the immediate aftermath. In time though, they started to feel hungry again. A glance at the clock showed them it was mid afternoon, and they could almost smell the turkey dinners cooking; could picture them being served at festive tables. It was Mason that voiced what they were both thinking. "We can stay here for a little while, eating chips; then we will need to go, as I don't want to be here when Cooper and Grace get back, and Rachel can be overpowering after a while… So, we can either head over to your place…"

"For a meal of canned noodle soup and cold turkey on rye…" said Seth sadly.

"Or we can suck it up, and head downtown. Go to the Spotlight and get a good meal. Confess our misfortune to Santana, and get a load of sympathy from Brittany."

"It's not a choice really. Spotlight Diner, here we come. I want a table for two, and no sad looks, no pitying glances. After all, today has been a good day - I just made myself a new, almost best, friend," replied Seth with a smile.

"I would agree with that," said Mason with a grin.

The two young men left the house shortly after that, taking great care to leave it exactly as they had found it, to the extent of Mason taking the wrappings from his sandwiches and placing them back in his bag. He knew that all of the effort might well be in vain if Santana could not be convinced to say nothing, but he did it anyway. They hopped on the subway, arriving just in time for a train and proceeded to head downtown towards the diner, talking and joking all the way. They paused for a moment outside the diner in the dimming light to look through the window. The communal tables, set up as per Sebastian's suggestion, were all full, the second sitting coming to an end. There were only a few other patrons in the place, and the usual live music had been replaced by a recording. "Here goes nothing," said Seth, and the two of them stepped through the doors, at once coming under the quizzical glare of Santana.

"Ok, so you should be in New Haven, and you should be with your folks; what gives?" she asked. They sheepishly repeated their stories briefly, and asked if she would keep it a secret. "You are a pair, aren't you? What sort of day would you have had if you'd not met up by chance? I mean, I get it - quite frankly the idea of spending a day having to listen to Berry telling you all about _Funny Girl_ , again, would be my personal idea of hell too; and families are the worst company that you can have on the holidays - I know, trust me. So, I will say nothing, and I will ensure that Brittany says nothing too, in return for some help clearing up after this lot, and some help serving up for the next sitting. I will even get you two some dinner after that, on the house, as payment. Oh, and if you two feel like singing, I won't stop you…"

Mason and Seth spent the next hour or so clearing tables, setting them up again, and then carrying trays of food to the next sitting. This done, Santana set them up with a table for two; both of them burst out laughing when she brought them a bowl of noodle soup for starters. The soup was good though, perfect with the warm bread it was served with. Then came two plates of turkey dinner; they both ate slowly, savouring every delicious mouthful - and then for afters, there was pie. Around them, the communal tables were working well, with the selected 'parents' at each table keeping the conversation going, and ensuring that everyone was happy. Their meals were being taken at an even more leisurely pace; they had finished before they had even thought about dessert. Mason and Seth offered to serve that up, and keep an eye on the counter, so that Brittany and Santana could sit down and eat too. The offer was accepted with gratitude, and the two of them sat down at the same table that the boys had just vacated.

As they stood at the counter, Seth observed "There you are Mason - love, all over again. It seems that around here, it is only us straight guys that end up like this; wishing for the person we love. It is on days like this that I wish that I had a girlfriend…"

"You'll find one, given time. I never imagined that I would end up with a girl like Jane; I used to think that the kind of love I would end up with would be the kind of love were the girl doesn't love you back."

"Oh, boy, do I know that feeling. There were quite a few girls at Dalton's sister school, Crawford County…" Mason looked curious, so Seth started to tell him all about the relationship between Dalton and Crawford; about the dance lessons and the occasional socials - all very chaste, and never normally involving a foam machine. As Mason just stared, he told him all about that one, a one off in a moment of madness from Wes, when he was under the influence of Blaine…

They were still talking about it when Santana came back. They proceeded to assist again with the table clearing, setting and then serving for the final sitting of the day. Then they followed up on her hint, and sang. They both performed solo at first, then Santana made them duet, realising from hearing them that their voices would blend well together. Their was applause and a lot of smiles; requests were made for other songs, and the two boys did their best, enjoying the warmth and sentiment they received from the assembled guests. When Dani appeared for her overnight shift, she too was sworn to secrecy. This pledge was cemented when they once again helped to clear the tables, then shifted the furniture back to the correct spots. Their reward for their work was more pie, and mugs of hot chocolate. The time was getting on, and with a start Mason realised that he needed to go - his train would be due back at Grand Central shortly. They left, and headed together to the station, to discover the train was running a little late. As they waited, Mason turned to Seth, and suggested that he come and spend the night with him at his place. They could tell Cooper and Grace that they had met at the station, and he was certain when he explained that Seth would be going home to an empty house, they would have no issue with it. Seth found himself agreeing; Mason was good company, and the idea of heading home to sit on his own did not appeal. It would have been a long day without his company, and this was a friendship that he wanted to cultivate.


	66. Thanksgiving: New York, Baltimore, Ohio

**Thanksgiving: New York, Baltimore, Ohio**

Thanksgiving had also gone well for the others that were still in New York. Nick's first attempt at cooking a full Thanksgiving dinner for anybody, let alone for nine, had been an unqualified success. His soup had been perfect and the homemade bread rolls that he had served with it had been flavoursome and of the perfect texture. Jeff had helped with the presentation there too; he had sat and watched an instructional video on Youtube in secret, and when Nick went to the refrigerator to remove the butter to allow it to soften slightly, he was greeted by a plate covered in delicate little curls. That touch had impressed Judy Sterling no end, and Nick made sure that everyone knew that it had been all Jeff's idea. As for his turkey, it was a masterpiece worthy of gracing a cover of a Martha Stewart magazine. He had handed the job of carving it over to his father-in-law, who accepted the role with pride. After that came the ham, which Paul Karofsky carved at everyone's insistence. Sebastian then asked Nick if he and Dave could move in, given the quality of the food; and then, once everyone had laughed, he suggested Nick should bake ham for the diner. Nick demurred, stressing that he had his college work to consider. Short work was then made by all of them of the pies that he had baked for dessert. At the end of the meal, Nick got up to fetch coffee, but was stopped by Mr Sterling, who stood up and raised his glass.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I think that we would all agree that the meal we have just eaten was one of the finest we have ever tasted. Nick, in my honest opinion, I think that you might have missed your calling - to think that two years ago, you could barely boil an egg! So, a toast, to my son-in-law Nick, and also to my son Jeff, our other host. I have to admit that I had my doubts about your relationship at first, but you are one of the happiest, best-suited couples I have ever known. May you have a long and happy life together, and may you invite us all for many more Thanksgiving meals!"

Across the landing, the meal had been a much more sophisticated affair, or at least that was the intention. Rachel and Grace had not collaborated on the cooking, but it all looked and smelt wonderful. Sam and Cooper had chosen to stay out of the kitchen and watch sports on the television. Cooper was glad of the fact that he and Rachel had an extra day off, but he also knew that he had an extra matinee tomorrow, so he could not afford to relax too much. He and Sam had far less bro time now than they had before, with Sam hard at work at both NYADA and the diner, but now, sat side by side on the couch, they quickly fell back into the role of two 'brothers'. Cooper told Sam all about his Skype chat with his mom that morning; she was sober, bright and cheerful, and looking forward to her day - she was spending it with a cousin of hers in Pennsylvania. They had not mentioned Jonathan; neither of them knew or indeed cared where he was. Pam announced that she had filed for divorce, and Cooper tried to pretend that he was not elated by that news. It was obvious to him that for her, admitting that her marriage was broken was hard, so he tried his best to be sympathetic, and asked her to come and visit him for Christmas. She accepted at once, tears in her eyes. Sam too had Skyped with his family in Kentucky, and had been surprised at how much his two younger siblings had grown in the last year. It made him realise that he was growing older too - and that fact did not exactly please him.

The dinner made him forget all about that though - both Cooper and Grace were excellent company, and for once Rachel did not monopolise the conversation with talk of Broadway. Sam later discovered he had Grace to thank for that; she had warned Cooper not to raise the topic, and had said much the same to Rachel whilst they had been in the kitchen together. Instead they all talked about their family and friends, all of them welcoming the news from Pam with joy, and agreeing with his invite to her to come and visit at Christmas. Grace did two things then - she offered to represent Pam, if she wished, and then pointed out the one tiny flaw with what Cooper had just done. "I think it might have escaped your notice, but we have plans for Christmas Day. We will be at a vow renewal at the same time we should be having dinner."

"I don't think you need to worry about that, Coop," said Sam. "I'm sure that Sebastian wouldn't mind if you invited her to come along and join in the festivities."

"Sam is right, but he's forgetting one thing," said Grace, her tone serious. "Do we know if Sebastian is inviting François to his 'unwedding'? Because if he is, and your mom comes face to face with him…."

There was silence for a moment as it dawned on them all what Grace was saying. It was Cooper that eventually broke it. "Well, that is an issue. Burt was right - he said at the time that what we did would come back to haunt me. We can manage it though, I'm sure. We just have to ensure that they don't meet…"

"…or, in the hope of avoiding a French farce, we pray that when she is sober, and he is not in a Dalton uniform with gelled hair, she does not even notice the resemblance to your late brother," his fiancée finished for him.

In a big house just outside Baltimore, the day was a hectic one for the assembled members of three families, bound by the weddings of two brothers. For the Bernsteins, Thanksgiving had always been the bigger of the two holidays, but this was the first year when one of their daughters was not in attendance at the table; although it was remarked quietly that it was actually no bad thing, as that would have meant an attendance of thirteen at the table, it still being far too early in the relationship to have invited Flint as a matter of course. They did understand why Izzy had chosen to go with him to Kansas though; a rift between a parent and a child was never a good thing and from the little that Izzy's parents knew, the situation appeared to be quite a toxic one. The subject did not come up at the dinner table, where all of the talk was joyful, but it did come up later when the three fathers had made their way to Mr Bernstein's study to talk.

He began by saying "Ok, so the boy is doing something that is not exactly what anyone would wish for their child, but from what I can gather, he is doing it purely to show support for his friend, and he could be doing a heck of a lot worse."

Burt nodded in agreement. "The world is a lot harder for young people these days than it was in our time. They have to work harder and the cost of everything is so much more. There is so much expectation placed upon them by friends and society. I was always happy if Kurt was doing what he loved, and the same goes for Rory now. There is still a small part of me that thinks that he might be a little too young to be married…."

"I agree," said George Nixon, "but the fact is that he and Trent work so well together, and I do not think we will see any issues there. There are days when I worry about just how mature Trent acts, but then again, with all that he has seen happen in such a short space of time, it is no wonder he grew up fast. I mean, three of his best friends are dead, and he witnessed the savagery of that Clarington boy and his father first hand. He and Rory will work, though, because both of them have an excellent father-in-law."

"From what I have been told, Mr Wilson is a good man too; he has just found himself trapped in the no mans land between his wife and his boy," said Burt. "If Flint and Izzy stay together, then the problems should resolve, I hope, and you, sir, will be blessed with two good son-in-laws…"

As for the two young couples, they spent the day catching up; Trent and Becca had bonded as they were often left to sit and chat as the two brothers caught up on other occasions when they met. They were being observed by Trent's sisters, who were sitting with the three mothers in the lounge, trying to look interested as the three older women caught up on everything that was going on in their children's lives. Both Carole and Helena Nixon sang the praises of the food, and Mrs Bernstein had to confess that she could take no credit for it; she had a former nanny that lived on the family's estate, and she was far more talented in the kitchen than she would ever be. Every year, she insisted that she cook the Thanksgiving dinner, and every year, despite of all the pleadings, she declined to join them at the table, as it wasn't her place. When the two other ladies found out that she would still be in the kitchen, they asked to go and meet her, to thank her in person. Mrs Bernstein had no objection to that, and the three women made their way to the kitchen to sing the praises of the cook. All in all, the day had been a success.

The day had also gone well for Beats and Elliott. The latter had been on tenterhooks by the time that the bus had pulled up at the small bus station in the town of Zanesville; he had almost stayed in Pittsburgh when they had to change bus, and had been nearly dragged on to the next one by Beats. Waiting for them was Beats' father, standing by the side of his car. Elliott was nervous about this first meeting; to his shock, and delight, Beats went over to hug his dad, then said "Dad, this is Elliott, my boyfriend." There was a moments pause as the news was digested, and Elliott felt his heart drop into his boots - but then Mr Harper was shaking his hand, and telling him he was more than welcome to join them for the day.

In the short drive to the family home, Elliott found himself being asked a lot of questions about himself and his family - he had given his usual standard answers, but then decided to be completely honest, and told Mr Harper everything that had happened on that distant Thanksgiving when he was rejected. "Well, son, don't take this the wrong way, but your parents are idiots," came Mr Harper's reply. As for Beats mom, if anything she was even more effusive in her welcome, insisting from the moment he was introduced that he not call her Mrs Harper - if he did, then she would be unhappy. She was either Marge, or better still, mom. That was all it took to make Elliott burst into tears, and he instantly found himself wrapped up in her arms; then after he had cried himself out, she guided him to a seat, and served him up a plate of homemade cookies. As he looked up, at the smile on her face, at the concern on the face of Mr Harper, and at his smiling boyfriend, Elliott knew that all of his nerves had been for no reason whatsoever; he had been welcomed without question, and had found himself a new place to call home.

After they had eaten the cookies, Mrs Harper went back into the kitchen to continue with her preparations for lunch; both young men offered to assist her, but she declined their offer, instead asking her husband if he would mind coming and helping her for a while. Beats might have mentioned to her quietly that he would like a quiet chat with Elliott. "So, my folks like you, as I told you they would. I know that you had your doubts - you thought that because you were my first official boyfriend that they would freak out. They knew that I might bring home a boy one day, so I knew that it would not be the big issue that you feared. Anyway, now it is time for your Thanksgiving surprise. Firstly, I do need to apologise to you, as I might have done a bit of prying through your personal stuff one night when I was at your place and you were asleep. As a result I found out a couple of things that I had been curious about, but that you had never told me; namely the name of your home town in New Jersey and the names of your siblings…."

"What did you do? Please tell me that you didn't write to my folks and tell them where I lived? I mean, they would be all charm in replying to you, but the reality is very different…"

"No, of course not! I wouldn't do anything that stupid. I went looking on social media, and on Facebook I came across your little brother Josh. I wasn't certain until I saw his profile picture - he looks a little like you. So I sent him a message, just to see - and that lead to this…" Beats went into his pocket and pulled out a letter, which he handed to Elliott.

He instantly recognised the writing on it, and smiled. "Ok, Professor N Harper - I see you gave yourself a job at Princeton and a post office box!"

"I didn't want to risk your parents finding the address and coming to check out who this random man was. Anyway, you should read what he sent…"

Elliott took out the letter, and began to read. _'Hey Ell, so this guy says that he is your friend, and that you are living in NYC, which is all kinds of cool. I miss you being around - I'm afraid that mom and dad don't, and our sister is too caught up with her own life to be bothered. I would love to see you again, so I have written this to confirm what I said to your friend on Facebook. I can come to New York on the Saturday after Thanksgiving for a few hours. Could you meet me off the bus at the Port Authority Terminal? It's still the same number, and I will get the one that's due in at 12.16. See you then, big bro! Love, Josh.'_

"We will be back in plenty of time for that; you will be able to go home, get changed and go and meet him. I will let the two of you have the day to catch up; I will need to head back to Princeton for work anyways…"

Elliott nodded, and then said quietly "I can't believe it… I am going to see my little brother on Saturday… I thought I would never see him again, Beats… I don't even know how I am going to begin to thank you for this…"

"You can thank me by looking after your little brother, and giving him the best day possible on Saturday - and then you make plans to meet up again."

"I love you, Beats, so much - and you will have to meet Josh too some day. This is the best present anyone has ever given me, Nate…the best ever." As Elliott pulled him into a deep hug, whilst Beats smiled at the fact that he had finally called him by the name he used in private at his apartment outside that space, neither of them noticed that Mr and Mrs Harper were standing in the doorway, watching with smiles on their faces. They had always been accepting of their son's sexuality, but they had always feared that he would never fall in love. It seemed that their expectation had been misplaced, and from the way the two of them were acting now, maybe he had found his soulmate in the boy from New Jersey.


	67. Thanksgiving: Flint

**Thanksgiving: Flint**

If Elliott had been nervous about travelling to meet his boyfriend's parents, then Flint had been nearly petrified at the prospect of going to see his own mother. He had admitted freely to both Beats and Ethan that if they and Izzy had not forced his hand, then he would have quite happily spent Thanksgiving at the Spotlight diner, making just a quick call to his father. Instead, he woke up on that holiday morning in a room in a low cost hotel in a very different Manhattan. It was still early, and that gave him time to think, which was not necessarily a good thing. The day would go one of two ways - it would be a resounding success, or an absolute disaster - there was no middle ground to be had. He had his suspicions that it might well end up being the latter unless he played things very carefully indeed. His dad had been forewarned that he was coming, so that he to could be prepared. The worry stayed in the back of his mind as he had breakfast with Izzy; she could see it in his face, and she grasped his hand gently, trying to give him comfort. He said nothing as they drove through the increasingly familiar streets, pulling up eventually outside his family home. They sat there in silence for a few moments, and then with a sigh, he unfastened his safety belt. There was no point in delaying the inevitable, he realised. He opened the car door, and then went round to do the same for Izzy. Then, with his hand clutched in hers, the two of them made their way up the path to the front door.

For the first time in his life, Flint rang the doorbell of his family home, and heard the lingering sound of the Westminster chimes echoing through the hall; chosen by his mother as being classy, but regarded by both himself and his father as a trifle pretentious. "I've always wanted to go to London," Izzy whispered, and Flint barely managed to stop himself laughing, fearing the consequences if his mother came to the door and had overheard. He listened carefully as he heard footfalls in the hallway, and then the noise of the security chain being removed.

The door was opened, and his father was standing there, all smiles. He placed a finger to his lips and beckoned them in. Once the door was closed behind them, Flint already in the act of removing his shoes out of habit, his father whispered "Happy Thanksgiving! I was thinking that you should go in on your own first, son - your mom is in the dining room, setting the table. By the way, she has asked your aunt and cousins to join us today - she is trying to hold out an olive branch there."

Flint nodded, and headed quietly along the hallway, leaving Izzy taking off her shoes next to his dad. He passed by the numerous photographs of himself that adorned the walls, and reached the doorway of the dining room. "Who was it, Peter?" came his mom's voice. "I know that it couldn't have been Mona and her children, as it is far too quiet."

Flint was silent for a moment, thinking that some things would never change. He took a breath, and walked through the doorway with the words, "No, it was the prodigal son…"

"Flint! Oh my! My son!" his mother exclaimed, dropping a handful of silverware on the table, as she rushed over to him, and pulled him into a tighter hug than he had enjoyed from her in years.

He quickly realised that she was crying, and that very notion made him tearful too. "Happy Thanksgiving, mom. I love you."

"I love you too, my darling boy. Why did you not let me know that you were coming? I could have made up your bed for you…"

"I wasn't sure just how welcome I would be…"

"You will always be welcome, always! I should never have reacted to the news about you in the way that I did. I should have listened, I should have been more understanding. I need to apologise for all the hurt I have caused you."

"And I should have been honest with you about what I was doing, even though I knew that you would hate it. Then I said some things to you which were unforgivable, for which dad has already given me a stern ticking off…"

"I was given one of those as well, my dear. Your father is the one that we both really owe an apology to. So, no more secrets, no more overreacting?"

"From now on mom, I will tell you everything - starting with the fact that I didn't come out here on my own. I have brought a very good friend with me…" He watched as his mom's face paled just a little, as she was anticipating who it was he would have brought - the boy that had lead him astray. But then she recovered, and the smile returned. Before she could speak, he decided to put her out of her misery. "Before I forget, Beats said to say hello, and that he wishes you and dad a Happy Thanksgiving; he is spending the day with his parents in Ohio. So I have brought someone that I met at a friend's wedding this summer with me, because they were very keen to meet you…"

"They wanted to meet me…?"

"Yeah, because things are getting pretty serious between us - so I felt it was right to bring my girlfriend with me…"

It was as if someone had flipped a switch; his mom's face lit up, and she positively glowed with excitement. She looked at the door in anticipation. Flint laughed quietly, and then raised his voice to say "Oh, dad, it's safe. Bring her in…" His father appeared, with a special young lady at his side. "Mom, I would like you to meet my girlfriend Izzy."

"I'm so sorry just to land on your doorstep unannounced like this, Mrs Wilson. Flint has obviously forgotten some of the manners that they taught him at Dalton Academy. I am Izzy Bernstein, and it is a pleasure to meet you. I must say that you have a beautiful home."

Flint struggled not to laugh as his mother's face beamed when she heard the word Bernstein, then said "You are quite right, Isadora, I did forget my manners in not informing her that we were coming, but I think she will forgive me. Anyway, we met at the wedding of Izzy's brother-in-law - I think that is the correct term for Rory - and we just clicked. Izzy is studying at Princeton this year, before she moves to New York to complete her medical degree…"

"You are going to be a doctor…?" said Sarah Wilson, almost breathless as her delight grew even more.

"Yes, I am. I hope to specialise in paediatrics, as I adore children…" As Sarah just nodded, unable to take in just how wonderful it all was - her son had brought home his beautiful, Jewish, child loving trainee doctor girlfriend - Flint and his father could barely contain their chuckles. "I really hope that my arrival doesn't throw your plans for today out of kilter, and as an apology, I would like, if I may, to contribute a little something to the meal. I wondered if I could prepare a little something to one of my mother's family recipes? I know the one for matzo balls so well, although having tasted them, Flint tells me they are nothing like yours…"

Mrs Wilson took Izzy's statement as a compliment, and replied that if she insisted, then she would be delighted to allow her to do so - plus it would allow them to chat away from the men for a while. The two of them left for the kitchen, and once they were safely out of earshot, Mr Wilson could hold back no longer and started to laugh, Flint joining in. "Well, son, she has certainly made an impression on your mother - I thought that she was going to explode from delight at one point. I suspect that the charming Mrs Rubens will be getting a phone call later to inform her that the delightful Berneice needs to look elsewhere for a husband, as you are now off the market. Though where she will find one I don't know, given that Shrek is already married…" Flint burst out laughing so loudly at that that he was forced to place a hand over his mouth. "I do feel sorry for that poor girl; she has a lovely personality, it's just a pity she has a face that could curdle milk. There was a boyfriend at one time, but he was a Mormon, so Mrs Rubens put an end to that, naturally."

"I am pleased to say that the Bernstein's feelings lie in the exact opposite direction. They know all about my job, and they do not mind in the slightest; in fact, Izzy's dad told me that it shows that I am hard working, and loyal to my friends when they are in need of support, and he admires that in a man. On top of that, Izzy's older sister just got married to an Irish Catholic she met at university in Scotland - and his little brother Rory, at whose wedding I met Izzy, well he was marrying my friend Trent from the Warblers…"

"I think it might be for the best not to tell your mother that you met her future daughter-in-law at a gay wedding, at least not yet. Let her enjoy the idea of having a doctor in the family; she does realise I suppose that by saying that she adored children…"

"Oh, yeah, Izzy knew exactly what she was doing there. I told her enough about mom that she would be able to fit her answers to the things that would press all of her buttons. There's just one thing - the matzo balls. Izzy made them from a recipe she found online for the first time two weeks ago. Even so, trust me when I say they are far superior to mom's…"

At that point, the Westminster chimes sounded once again, and Flint joined his father in heading to the front door. His aunt Mona was stunned by his appearance for a moment, not quite knowing what to say, so he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug, whispering in her ear "All water under the bridge; you did me a favour. She just apologised to me for the first time ever…" She nodded and smiled, as Flint moved on first to his cousin Amy, who also received a hug, and then his cousin Leo, with whom he shared a handshake.

As he was doing so, he heard his mother's voice from the hallway behind him "Mona! How lovely to see you, and the children! Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Mona, you and Amy should come and join me in the kitchen, and meet our other guest, Flint's girlfriend Izzy! She is just preparing some of her grandmother's matzo balls for us all." There was a moment of stunned silence, as the new arrivals considered what drugs Sarah had taken, and then Mona and Amy dutifully followed her in the direction of the kitchen. Mr Wilson went off to finish setting the table, telling Flint to take Leo into the lounge and have a catch up. Flint nodded, and walked with his bemused looking cousin into the lounge, and sat down on the sofa next to him.

"So, a girlfriend? I take it that it isn't the lovely Berneice then?" said Leo with a grin.

"Goodness, no! I have dodged that bullet, thankfully. I met her at a friends wedding, she chose me, and it was pretty much love at first sight."

"I am taking it from your mom's unusually happy demeanour that either she is on better medication, or…"

"Yes, Izzy is Jewish, she is a medical student, and her matzo balls are actually edible, so that is one more thing that we all have to be thankful for today! So enough of me; how is life treating you?"

"Much the same; doing better at school now that the teachers actually care. Leaving high school for community college was your dad's idea, and it has worked out wonderfully. I am on course to end up graduating at the top of the class, rather than at the bottom as usual. Ok, back to you - what happened this year, around about Passover. It all blew up around here, and from what our uncle tells me, it all had something to do with you…"

"Uncle Daniel should learn to keep his nose out and his mouth shut - but to be honest, it is no big secret. Your mom caught me working at my new job alongside my best friend Beats whilst she was in New Jersey; she had had enough of mom, and she told her all about it in front of everyone. That was when everything went nuclear, and today is the first time I have spoken to my mom in nearly six months. It's all sorted now, but let us just say that my golden boy reputation is tarnished…"

"Because of a job? How bad a job are we talking?" Flint sighed, pulled out his phone, and searched for the relevant image. On finding it, he opened it, then turned his phone round so his cousin could see the screen. His mouth dropped open the moment he saw it, then he laughed. "Oh my Lord! Really! You and Beats!"

"Yup. Me and Beats. Every Friday and Saturday night, in a gay bar. You do not know anything though, ok?"

"Ok, our secret - but wow, Flint Wilson, prep school boy to gay bar stripper! That is actually pretty cool! I need to hear more!"

Flint sighed, and shook his head. "I'll tell you more later, after dinner, when you get the chance to meet Izzy properly. In return, you can tell me more about school, and maybe we could even discuss the possibility of you paying me and Izzy a visit in New York next summer…."

Thanksgiving dinner that year at the Wilson's celebrated a first in that there was no tension or strife in the room. Everyone seemed to be genuinely pleased to be there, and that all the other guests were there. This, Flint would later tell everyone, was largely due to two things; firstly, all of his secrets were out in the open, which meant that he was calm, as was his aunt Mona; the fact that he had confessed everything in private to his cousin Leo meant that the underlying resentment that he had always had towards Flint the 'golden boy' was also gone. Leo now saw him as being as flawed as the rest of the world around him, through doing something risky that he knew his mother would hate. The fact that he was also subverting the very symbol of what had once made him so lauded, his prep school past, in the process just made it all the better for Leo, who now regarded his cousin as cool.

Secondly, there was of course the presence of Izzy. Mrs Wilson was obviously overjoyed with her; she was all that she had ever dreamed of for her son, and then some. She had also charmed Mr Wilson, in his case because of the fact that she clearly made his son happy. She also reached out to Flint's aunt and cousins in her natural way, bringing them into her conversation and taking an interest in them. Flint could not recall a time when he had seen his cousin Amy so animated. Then there were her matzo balls. Flint's assertion was true in all of their opinions - they were so good… As the meal progressed, Izzy insisted on helping at every opportunity that she got, and Flint was left to just sit there and beam with pride. He wasn't quite as happy when she volunteered him to join her on dishwasher duty, but that all changed in a moment when she got him into the kitchen, and the first thing she did was push him up against the counter and reward him with a long, passion filled kiss…

"Erm… Mom said I should help too…" came a voice, and Flint and Izzy pulled apart to see a blushing Leo standing in the doorway with a pile of plates.

"That would be great, Leo, thank you," said Izzy, instantly composed, as Flint stood dazed and love struck against the counter. "I think that I might have just broken your cousin though…"

"That good a kiss, eh!" said Leo with a grin, as he handed her the pile of plates.

"Oh, yeah….!" said Flint languidly, and the tone of his voice set the other two laughing.

"All I can say is that he is a lucky guy, and he deserves it. We haven't exactly seen eye to eye for a long time, mainly because of the way that his mom acted, it has to be said, but well, let's just say that I know him a little better after our pre-dinner chat…"

"Ah, so he told you all about his little sideline," said Izzy. "Let me tell you that he is one of the best at what he does; did he tell you that he and Beats are the headline act in that bar, and that he has to be back there tomorrow night for something special and unusual…"

"No, he didn't," said Leo, turning to face Flint with curiosity, "but then again, we didn't have all that long."

Flint sighed, shook his head at Izzy, and said quietly "Tomorrow night, Beats will still be in Ohio, but I will be back in Princeton. The boss at the bar asked me therefore if I would appear on stage, solo, for the first time ever. I mean, Beats started it off on his own, but this will be my first time without my wingman at my side… Izzy will be in the audience, but if I'm honest, it's kind of scary…"

"You will knock them dead, my sexy darling Preppy Boy!" said Izzy. "Just remember, dance close enough to me so that I can slip money in your…"

"Woah! Ok, far too much information! Teenager here!" said Leo, his face bright red. He then proceeded to stick his fingers in his ears, much to the amusement of the two older people in the room.

Eventually, the conversation moved on to their plans for the future, and Flint once again, with Izzy's backing, extended an invitation to his cousin to come and visit them the following summer in New York. Izzy was in full agreement, and told Leo it would be a pleasure to have him as their first house guest when they moved in together next year. "My parents own an apartment in the city. It used to be my great grandparents home, and in the past, when my dad had business that took him to New York, he stayed there rather than going to a hotel, or facing a long drive home. Now he goes up a lot less with video conferencing, and when he does, he takes the Acela train there and back - the journey time is quite competitive… So, he is giving it to me; my sister got a house near Baltimore when she married Séamus, so it is only fair…"

"How the other half live, eh, Flint?" said Leo in jest.

Izzy just smiled. "Oh definitely. It is quite a big place - there is enough space for us both to have separate bedrooms, a guest room, and a room for each of his current roommates, if they want it. So it would be great to have you come and stay with us for a few weeks, so that you can see all the sights."

"And if you decide that you want to go to college," said Flint, "and you end up heading to the big bad city, then you could always come and live with us for a while, at least until you get yourself sorted out. If nothing else, when you come, Beats and I could show you some of our more interesting moves…"

By the time that Flint and Izzy finally managed to leave the Wilson home, it was nearly Black Friday. It did not help that their flight the next day was fairly early, not that Sarah Wilson was paying any attention. She was just overjoyed to have both of them there. In the end, had it not been for the intervention of her husband, they might never have escaped. As Flint drove them back to the hotel, after fond farewells on the doorstep - and yes, his mother had been so loud in her goodbyes to Izzy, virtually screaming about what a good girlfriend she was until the neighbours looked out, which was her desired result - they chatted quietly about events. "Well, that went far better than I could have expected," said Flint. "Not only are my mom and I back on speaking terms, but I also made friends with my cousin Leo, who always used to sneer at me, made my aunt happier than she has been for some time, and generally made my father's day!"

"I take absolutely all of the credit for that, my darling Preppy Boy! If it hadn't been for my intervention…"

"I know - things would have gone on festering until something or someone died. You do realise though that you are stuck with me now? I mean, if you even attempted to dump me now, my mother would hunt you down, and I mean that sincerely…"

"Oh, I am fully aware of that, my love. I am also aware that your mother is probably planning her wedding outfit right now; mentally she will already be naming our children."

"Now that is a scary thought! Can I just say that if we ever do end up having children together, we as their parents will be the sole people involved in the choice of their names!"

"I agree; the decision will be ours, at least for first names. I'd like at least two, by the way…"

"One of each?"

"Naturally!"

"Why is the fact that the two of us are sitting here talking about how many kids we want not freaking me out? It should be…"

"I know - but then I think that we both know we are meant to be together, like Trent and Rory, or the irrepressible Niff! Not that I am saying that we should get married, or even engaged, for a little while yet…"

"Oh, I agree. Not whilst I'm still at college; maybe next summer I could propose…"

"I might say no…"

"I doubt it - and as for marriage, after you have qualified at the earliest."

"I like the way you are thinking, Mr Wilson."

"I like the way you do too, Miss Bernstein."

They reached the hotel and said goodnight before heading to their separate rooms. Both of them were thinking of the future that lay ahead for them, and it made both of them very happy.


	68. Black Friday, Little Brother and Nephew

**Black Friday, Little Brother and Nephew**

Black Friday arrived in New York with early alarm bells and the dragging of tired young men out of their warm comfortable beds, to accompany young women to a retail frenzy that owed more to armageddon than to the holiday spirit. Sam, Mike and Jeff found themselves ensnarled in the drama; Jeff had volunteered to relieve his father, and Nick had just shook his head. They knew what their main duties were after a brief word from a well known expert on the day - Kurt had appeared, and told them what was expected. Their main role was as bag carriers, but they also had to say the correct thing when shown a garment, and act as muscle if it was strictly necessary to remove an obstacle to whatever it was that their partner on the day wished to purchase. They were joined on arrival on Fifth Avenue by Brittany and Santana; the latter Kurt had told them was able to cut a path through a bargain hunting crowd with just a glare….

Within an hour of hitting the stores, all three men were scared stiff. None of Kurt's pep talk could have prepared them for this, although they had an inkling that they should have asked Blaine for the reality check. They could not have imagined the sort of violence and unladylike behaviour that they were being confronted with; and what made it worse was that a lot of it was coming from the women they were with. Rachel proved that although she might be small and demure, when it came to getting something that she wanted, she could more than handle herself - in fact, she made Santana look like a kitten. Tina was a total tyrant, and the language that was coming out of her mouth had Mike the colour of a tomato with total embarrassment. As for Jeff, well he had seen a whole new side to his mom, and he didn't like it. "Do you think that there is counselling available for post Black Friday nightmares?" he whispered to his two friends, as his mom and Tina ganged up on an unsuspecting woman in a pincer movement. Sam meanwhile was standing frozen in shock as he saw Rachel team up with Brittany and Santana to clear a crowd away from a counter that they wished to examine.

"If there is, then all three of us need to sign up right now! If not, then we will just have to content ourselves with one thing; that we never, ever, ever agree to do this again!" said Mike, his voice fading as he saw two woman actually punching each other on the other side of the store. All he could think was 'So much for the season of goodwill…'

At the same time as this was taking place, Sebastian was just taking his seat on a plane at Newark, heading off to Los Angeles. He was travelling alone, as Dave had a full list of games over the weekend, and could not take time off. He would be crashing at Thad and David's place for a couple of nights, before flying home on Sunday to be back in time for his Monday classes at NYADA. The purpose of his trip was not to catch up with the two former Warblers, although he would enjoy that; and he also had the good words of everyone to pass on to Mercedes, who had blown them all away with her performance the night before. It was no wonder that she was being tipped for stardom by virtually every critic, given the way that she had owned the stage on the show, making the long established artists around her look like complete amateurs. He had grabbed a copy of the _New York Times_ before he boarded the flight, and the notice in there was exceptionally good. He knew that she would be pleased, and David would be overjoyed. He had other things on his own mind however; the real purpose of his trip. Tomorrow, he would meet up with Julian, and then they would both travel to the small house in L.A. that was home to his nephew, Peter, and his mom, Claire. It felt so strange to Sebastian to be heading across country to meet up with a little boy that he had not even known about until a few months before, but who shared a tiny part of his DNA - the dubious genes of his father. He had bought a couple of small gifts, taking advice from his friends and his brother. Now as he sat back for the long transcontinental flight, he closed his eyes, and tried to think on how he was going to do this.

To Peter, he would be a total stranger, suddenly showing up in the company of his dad, and proclaiming that he was his Uncle Seb. If it had happened to him, he would have been wary to the extreme. He knew too that he could be rejected right off and he had to admit that it would hurt if it was indeed the case. For all of his bravado, inside of Sebastian there was a boy that could not stand rejection, that needed people to love him - a relic of his childhood. His mom had loved him, that was true, and she had often sat with him, and conversed in French, which had annoyed the heck out of his dad. He realised now that it had also been part of the reason why Jules had probably resented his stepmother; for some reason, his father had insisted that he learn Spanish instead, although that had probably stood him in good stead in the long term. Now of course, he had no relationship at all with his mother; she had rejected him, and had made no attempt to contact him since he had been sent home from Paris in disgrace. It still stung, even now. He had considered trying to find her, as he had done with Jules, but that would mean trying to access his father's study again, and he was not sure if he should chance his luck twice. If he was caught, then his father would immediately realise that he was behind the problems that had lead to the final breakdown of his third marriage, although admittedly, that had been destroyed more by his affair with another woman than by some prawns under the carpet.

The flight did not seem to take as long for some reason - maybe because the plane was quiet, and the in-flight movies were actually interesting. Soon he was walking towards the luggage pick up at LAX, and he saw his brother standing there waiting once again, only this time he was dressed far more smartly. They hugged happily, and once they had collected the small case containing just a few gifts, they headed out for a cab. Julian had booked into a hotel, and had offered to share the room with his brother, but Sebastian knew that if he did not accept the offer of hospitality made by Thad when he had heard he was coming, then the Head Warbler would have to make a show of not being upset, when he would have been, and Sebastian did not want to do that to him. So instead he and Julian would have an early dinner together, after a quick tour of the big sights, and then Sebastian would take a cab to his room for the night. He would meet Julian there the next day, and they would head to their final destination. It was all quite whistlestop, but he had felt that it was important that he meet Peter and his mom sooner, rather than later, particularly if he was going to ask if her little boy could come to New York for Christmas to be his page boy. There would be an invite for her too, naturally, if necessary. All Sebastian wanted this time was for as many of his family to be there when he and Dave said I do all over again.

In a bar in Princeton that night, there were nerves aplenty. Alone in the dressing room for the first time since he had taken up the job all those months ago, Flint was trying breathing exercises in an attempt to calm the butterflies in his stomach. It wasn't exactly working; he could hear his heart pounding away in his chest far faster than normal, his hair was on end, and his nerves were shot. It had seemed such an easy thing to do when he and Beats had discussed it; the routine that they had devised between them was simple enough, and he had practiced it to the music as well; he knew his moves down to the very beat… He missed Beats, that was the truth. He was the outgoing one - he had always been much happier to sit in the background. Yes, he had much more confidence these days, but he still was not sure if he could actually do this…

"Of course you can!" came a voice from behind him, and he didn't need to turn round to know that Blaine was standing behind him. "I know that being in the limelight is not easy for you. Kurt used to feel the same when he was first singing a solo in front of an audience. The fact is this; Beats has faith in you; I have faith in you; and Izzy has faith in you. Just close your eyes and imagine you are doing it at home, just for her. I'd say to imagine everyone in the room naked, but that would just make it worse on this occasion.."

"Yeah, it would make it much worse."

"Also, I can't do for you what I did for Coop when he was nervous about _Kinky Boots_. I wouldn't mind, but Kurt would have a fit, and I don't think Wes or Elizabeth would deem it to be appropriate behaviour for an angel…" Flint turned to look at Blaine for the first time and realised he was being serious, as he was dressed in his Dalton uniform; he burst out laughing before he could stop himself. He was still giggling away when his call came. "Go out and knock them all dead," said Blaine, and Flint nodded before heading out into the glare of the spotlights…

Ten minutes later he was back in the dressing room, naked, sweating and exhilarated. That night the cheers and catcalls had all been for him; he had expected less noise than usual, but the level had been as deafening as ever. He had done as Blaine had suggested at first - and once he had started and was moving to the music, the rest came much more easily. He had seen the audience as a blur, almost until the end, when suddenly he had seen Izzy so clearly, whistling at him from the side of the stage as he walked close to the edge, allowing people to slip money in the sides of his underwear. Izzy had been the last to do so, and after placing a $20 bill carefully under the waistband, she had slapped his ass… He was stunned for a second, but then he had positively strutted to the side of the stage, and had performed the final strip, though he was worried that she would have left a handprint…

There was a knock at the door, and before he could stop it, it opened and Izzy popped her head in. "So, yeah…wow! I think that they liked you. I've been asked to tell you that when they counted it up for you, you had over $500 stuffed down the side of those skimpy briefs…" Flint's eyes went wide - that was more than his usual share by some way. "Oh, and by the way, they want to know if you would do an encore."

"Tell them I will need half an hour to rest," Flint said, and then laughed. "To think that I was nervous! Obviously all the adrenaline that is generated takes them away… You don't mind if I do an encore, do you?"

"What? That a bar full of people want my boyfriend? No, not at all. After all, it is me that gets to take you home afterwards, my sexy Preppy Boy…"

Meanwhile, at the tiny Greyhound station in Zanesville, Ohio, Flint's usual partner in crime was waiting for the bus that would take him and Elliot back to New York. They were the only people waiting; Mr Harper had offered to wait with them, but Beats had told him not to, and so his father, after hugs for them both, had headed home. Now Beats sat back with Elliott's head on his shoulders and smiled. It had been the best Thanksgiving he had known for years; the Harper family home had rung to the sound of laughter for most of the day, a sound it had not known for a while. His parents had accepted Elliott and the nature of their relationship at once, without a question. He knew that deep down they had always hoped that one day he would arrive home with a girlfriend, but they had said nothing. He looked at his half asleep boyfriend and smiled. He had been so happy too; loved and accepted from the moment he had walked in. Then there was the small fact that Beats had given him the best gift ever, at least in his opinion - his brother back. How it went the following day would determine the whole shape of Elliott' future. Beats prayed that it would go well, or it might just send him back into the whole cycle of depression that had plagued him in the past. He knew from quiet conversations with Dani just how bad things had got for Elliott in the past…

The following day, Elliott made his way back to the Port Authority Terminal, not long after he had arrived there from Ohio. He had slept for most of the bus journey back from Zanesville, only waking up at Beats gentle prodding as the bus had been passing through the tunnel under the Hudson River. He and Beats had parted at the Port Authority, the latter having to head back to Princeton. He wanted to see how Flint had coped the previous evening. He promised to call Elliott later, after his brother had headed home again, and then with a tight hug, the two had headed off in different directions. Elliott had hurried home to wash, have some breakfast and change, before retracing his steps to stand and wait for the 167 bus at the familiar stand. He worried for a moment that Josh would not recognise him; that with age he might have altered out of all recognition. It had been five years after all, and Josh was no longer a boy of thirteen, but a young man in his senior year of high school. Then Elliott saw the bus approaching, bang on schedule for once. He watched in silence as the bus pulled up, the door opened and the passengers began to disembark; the usual mix of older people, housewives with kids, teenage girls, and then…

He was taller now and much more angular, but his face was more or less the same, the big change being a hint of stubble. He was dressed in what Elliott guessed were his best clothes, just as he had done he realised, but then on looking down, he saw that his feet were in a battered old pair of Chuck Taylor's. He had always worn them, and so it was no shock, though his feet were bigger now…

"Elliott?"

He heard a voice, and he looked up to realise that his brother was now standing right beside him. "Hey Joshie… Do you mind if I still call you that, because God, you've got tall, and I know that now you are an adult that it might not be cool, and I don't want to…"

"Ell, it's ok! You can always call me Joshie; I've missed being called that… It's so good to see you, big brother. I have missed having you around so much…" With those words, the dam broke, and Josh began to cry, and Elliott realised that he was not the only one in tears. He held out his arms, and his brother threw himself in, to allow himself to be held tight to Elliott's chest.

"I promise you, here and now, Joshie, that I am never going to leave your life again. As long as you want me to be around, I will be. You're an adult, and you can make your own choices now. I can't come back to see you in Bergenfield, as that would not end well, but you can always come to me, anytime, day or night. You are my brother, and I love you."

"I love you too, Ell, so, so much…" said Josh in a tearful voice. So it was that the two of them stood there, oblivious to the rest of the world, in the middle of the Port Authority, for some time.

Although he had not originally intended to do so, Elliott took his brother to see his apartment. There had been something about just how easily Josh's tears had come that had worried him; that maybe one day Josh would need to run to him, unannounced, and so it would be a good idea if he knew how to get to him. So they rode the subway downtown together, sharing stories of their lives since their fraternal bond had been torn asunder by the actions of their father. It was only a short walk from the subway to the tiny apartment that Elliott rented, and he could only smile as his little brother drank in all the sights and sounds of the vibrant neighbourhood that he called home. Once inside, Josh was in awe of the little space, and of all the eclectic things that he had acquired over the years. He offered Josh soda or juice, and was turned down, his brother instead requesting a coffee, another sign he was grown up.

As they sat there with their coffee, Elliott pulled out his photo album, and showed Josh all of his favourite snaps. He started first with telling him all about Starchild, about his friendship with Dani, and how he had been in a band with her. That lead on with inevitability to Kurt, and at the mention of the name, Josh looked up, and recalled how he had read about the case in the papers at school. The fact that his brother had been friends with one of the victims made him sad, for Kurt and for his brother, who had been left alone to deal with a friend's death without his support. They moved on, and Elliott told him about how that friendship had lead him to a job at the Spotlight Diner, located just a few blocks away from home. The mention of food made both of their stomach's rumble, and so they ended up heading there for something to eat.

Mike and Jeff were on duty that day, and Elliott introduced them both to his brother. He knew that one day he would have to tell them the whole story; they were good friends, and he owed it to them to be honest about things as he could be. There was no time that day, but he was glad that they knew who he was, just in case Josh turned up one day and Elliott was not home; he would have another place to go to try and find him. They enjoyed a meal, and then they both realised that it was time for Josh to head back home; their father still imposed the same early curfew, even on weekends, that he had inflicted on Elliott. They parted once more at the Port Authority, this time with each other's cell numbers, entered under a pseudonym on Josh's phone, just in case their father checked it. As Josh stepped on to the bus, he turned and shouted "I will be back before Christmas, Ell, even if I have to skip school…" Elliott could tell by his tone of voice that he meant it, and although he did not approve of his brother skipping class, he definitely liked the idea of seeing him again as soon as possible.

On the opposite side of the country, the day had been one of similar nerves for Sebastian. He had been tired by the time that he had reached David and Thad's home the previous night, and had gone more or less directly to bed, but not before he and Thad had sat and discussed the issues quietly. It was not something that anyone they knew had gone through before, and so they had nobody to call on for advice. Instead, they had taken a pragmatic approach, and discussed how they would have felt themselves if a complete stranger had walked into their life at the age of nine, and had been introduced as their uncle. "I would have been scared, I suppose," said Sebastian. "I know that I always come across as confident to the point of cocky - yes, I admit that, but as a kid, I was the total opposite. I was so shy, and I had been taught that there was danger in strangers. On the positive side, he knows Jules, so that might reassure him - if his dad says I am ok, then he might trust me too."

"There is that," said Thad, "but he will still be wary of you. He might be young, but even at that age he will most likely question why he is only meeting you now, and you can't exactly tell him the unvarnished truth. I guess the simplest way to explain it, if Julian agrees, would be to say that you lost each others phone numbers, which isn't a total lie, and as you were living so far apart, it was far from easy to get back in touch. Make it clear that you are back for good, and see how reacts from there on."

"You're right. I have to make a point of staying in the picture; I have to visit him or at least call on a regular basis, not just be the uncle that calls at Christmas and sends a parcel. I want to be a part of his life, always assuming that his mother will let that happen. I would understand if she didn't want it to, but it would hurt; it really would hurt to know that I was an uncle, but was not allowed to see my nephew. It's a mess, and it needs to be sorted out."

Thad could only nod in agreement. He couldn't think of anything more to do or say. It wasn't as if his own family life was any less complicated. The youngest of five, and yet he had not spoken to his parents since graduation from Dalton; his eldest brother a couple of years before that, his sisters about the same time. He knew deep down that his parents had only appeared at graduation, after ignoring him for the last three years at school, because they didn't want to be seen in public rejecting him. If it wasn't for Ollie, the middle of the three Harwood brothers, he would have no connection to the family at all anymore. He realised that he could also have nieces or nephews, and would not know. It did not make him sad - as Wes would say, it was their loss, not his.

It was just before lunch that Julian arrived, and at the insistence of the two older Warblers, he stayed for a bite to eat. Sebastian had almost laughed, knowing full well that Thad and David wanted to grill his brother, just like two parents might grill a new partner for their child. His brother managed to pass with flying colours though, and by the end of the meal, he had Thad and David in hysterics, and Sebastian groaning in misery, as he told them all about what little Bazzy used to get up to. If it had not been for the fact that they had to leave for their meeting with Peter and Claire, Sebastian was convinced that the two senior Warblers would have been happy to sit there the rest of the day and hear tales of his youth.

It was less than ten minutes walk from his friends home to his nephew's. Julian had shown a snap of Peter to Thad and David, and there had been a moment when Thad had thought he recognised him as a child he had seen before in the park; that he had one day found looking for his mom, and had reunited them. He said nothing though. All he wanted was for the day to go well. As Julian rung the bell, Sebastian felt weak, and felt his skin go clammy, which was ridiculous really. He heard the sound of running feet, of a woman's voice remonstrating with a child, and then the door was swung open. Before him stood a little boy who really did look like the two of them in so many ways. He jumped up happily into Julian's outstretched arms with a cry of "Daddy!", and Sebastian could see his brother's face light up as he did so. He stood by in silence, until a voice interrupted his chain of thought.

"You must be Sebastian. I'm Claire. Jules has told me everything; about how you and he lost touch; how your father treated the two of you. He used to talk about you when we were at college; we kind of teased him for it at times, but then afterwards, some of the joy just left him. I'm glad that you are back, and I think it will be good for Peter to have an uncle, given that I'm an only child. So you have my blessing, but the decision has to be his. If Peter says no, then…"

Sebastian could only nod, as he concentrated on watching his brother and his nephew. Julian was talking quietly to Peter now, and the boy turned occasionally to look at Sebastian with a half smile. Then he left his father's side, and walked across to stand in front of Sebastian. "My daddy says that you are his little brother…" Sebastian nodded, and on instinct, he knelt down so he was more at his level. "That makes you my uncle, doesn't it? Most of my friends have aunts and uncles, and I never have had, which made me sad. But now I have you."

"Yes, you do - if you want me…"

"Do you know how to play games? And will you come and play games with me while mommy and daddy chat?"

"If your mommy says that is ok, I would love to come and play games. I might be a grown up, but sometimes us grown ups are just big kids inside. I know that your dad is…"

"Mommy says that too." Sebastian started to laugh, and Peter joined in, whilst Julian looked indignant and Claire blushed. After that, the day went well. Peter proved to be an expert at his games, although Sebastian did win once or twice. His gifts went down well, although Claire told him that he shouldn't have spent so much; Sebastian argued that he had nine years to make up for, and so they left it at that. They had an afternoon meal of sandwiches, cakes and tea - or milk in Peter's case. It was then that Sebastian knew he had to broach the one question he needed to ask. He spoke to Claire first, who looked shocked at first, that such a young man was already married. She questioned the need to do it again so soon, so he had no option other than to show her the video. After she had stopped laughing, she agreed that he really did need to do it again. "The thing is this; I know that I have only just come into his life, not through any choice of my own I have to add, but I would really like Peter to be there and to play a part. I know it is a lot to ask, given that it is Christmas, but I would like to invite you both to New York for my vow renewal."

Claire looked thoughtful, and then replied. "I would like to thank you for your kind invitation, Sebastian, but I'm afraid that I can't accept it. I have already made plans to visit family in Oregon with my parents over Christmas; it's my great aunt we are going to see, and she is nearing a hundred years of age, and I can't let her down now." Sebastian sighed, but smiled, knowing that this was what he had feared; but he could live with it - after all, he would still have Peter in his life. "However, she is very old school, and she regards Peter as a blot on my copybook. She is also a plain speaker, and he is now at an age were her remarks would cause him pain. I had already decided to ask Julian if he would have him over Christmas, and if he chooses to take him with him to New York, well that's ok…"

Sebastian let out a squeal of delight, then calmed down. "Would it be ok if I asked him if he wanted to come. Maybe he wouldn't like it…"

"I'm sure he will, but yes, ask him," said Claire.

That was exactly what he did, and the fact that Peter threw himself at his uncle in the same way he had thrown himself at his father earlier gave them all his answer without him even needing to speak. By the time he headed back to Thad and David's that evening, Peter knew all about his uncle Dave, and Sebastian had a photo or forty on his phone of his nephew, including one he loved most of all, taken by Claire, of him with Jules and Peter. His smiling face as he walked in told Thad all he needed to know - and it made the Head Warbler very happy indeed.


	69. December

**December**

The first half of December seemed to fly past in a blur. The city was busy with visitors and Christmas shoppers, who wanted to at least stare into the windows of the big stores on Fifth Avenue. FAO Schwartz was no longer there, of course, and it did seem that the city was a little sadder for the loss of its big traditional toy store. At the Spotlight, fruit cakes and mincemeat pies were on sale, and were going down very well, thanks to Nick's astute choice of recipe. The air was scented with spices as both gingerbread and Christmas cookies were being baked in the kitchen, to be consumed with a steaming hot mug of hot chocolate. The staff were being kept busy, but they were happy. Elliott in particular was full of the joys of the season; at first, both Michelle and Dani were concerned about how joyful he was; but then one Friday morning the door opened to reveal a young man. The two watched as the faces of both Elliott and the young man he would introduce to them later as his brother Josh lit up. Of course, Elliott did pull out the full concerned big brother routine, and told him off for missing school. Once this had happened, it was only a matter of time before all the partners came to know about it. Beats did his best surprised face when Nick told him the news. He had made up his mind that it was time he came clean to everyone about his relationship with Elliott. He was too important to him now, and he wanted everyone to know how happy they were together. Elliott agreed, and they decided that they would make the announcement on Christmas Day, when they would all be gathered in the one place for what was being termed the 'Unwedding' of the year.

As the day approached, Sebastian and Dave remained remarkably calm. They had found a venue that had had a late cancellation - the bride had apparently come home early one day to find the groom in bed with the best man, who just happened to be her brother - and they had secured a prime venue at a knockdown price. They had been measured for suits from the KEH Collection; Sebastian naturally chose to have one of the suits based on the Dalton uniform, whilst Dave had chosen one which owed a lot to those made for Trent and Rory, albeit in a far warmer and more appropriate fabric for the time of year. They decided to make only a few amendments to the catering order placed by the unfortunate bride, and although it wasn't exactly what they might have chosen, it removed all of the hassle. Paul, Julian and Peter all had flights booked for them, and rooms to stay in under the roof of Cooper's house. As for their first dance, both had agreed easily on the same song; they had asked one of their friends in the Warblers to sing it for them, and they had agreed; they had also been sworn to secrecy as to the choice.

All in all, the run up to the event had been unstressful in the main. True, Dave had come perilously close to having a game to play on the day, but a last minute scheduling change meant that it was shifted to the 26th, meaning that they would not have to have the reception in a football stadium. Both of the grooms were relieved about that. By one of the happiest twists of fate, it turned out that the team they had been scheduled to play was none other than the one that Matt Rutherford played for. An invitation to attend the ceremony the day before was immediately extended to him, and it was accepted without a moment of hesitation. It would be not only his chance to witness Dave getting married, but an opportunity to catch up with all of the New Directions alumni he had missed during his brief visit to the city in the summer.

Sebastian's life also took a turn for the crazy when he found himself summoned to Carmen's office one morning at the start of the month. He was told that he would be performing in that years Winter Showcase, and that he would be performing a duet with Santana. He laughed later as he considered how the prospect of doing so would once have been his worst nightmare; now it would be more than ok, as long as the two of them could agree on what to sing. He had heard from the New Directions that she could be quite fearsome when it came to getting her choice of song, and he was aware that he was every bit as stubborn himself. Then as he walked to a class, it suddenly came to him. He heard the sound of two cellos playing, and he knew what would be a perfect selection. They would have easy access to the necessary musicians; when later he found Santana, he told her what he was thinking without a second's hesitation. Her face lit up, and she had to agree that he had made a darn fine choice. It was a song that they were both familiar with, and on checking, they discovered that it had never been publicly performed at NYADA before.

So it was that on a dark Monday night, the second of the month, the two cellists that Sebastian had overheard were on stage to play as Sebastian and Santana performed _Smooth Criminal_ in front of an audience, this time with no slushies anywhere in sight. It earned the two of them a standing ovation, and stunned most of the friends that had made it along into silence. One exception was Niff, who confessed to Sebastian that when he had cleared all of the other Warblers out of the room when Santana had come to confront him that fateful week at Dalton, they had both lingered in earshot, as Santana was rumoured to have razor blades in her hair, and he might need their assistance. They did tell him however, that this performance was far better - and from the look on Carmen's face, she had been impressed too.

With less than a week to go before Christmas, life began to get even more hectic. College might have been more or less finished up for the year, but work and preparations for the big event ahead took up all their time. Nick had embarked on his Christmas baking frenzy, as they had all expected, and in the case of his roommates, prayed for. As well as his usual festive treats of gingerbread and cookies, he was also preparing lebkuchen and stollen for the first time. As a German scholar at Dalton, he had tasted them both before, but to now actually be making them was a completely different story. His confidence in the kitchen had now grown to such an extent that he felt able to tackle them, and he was more than satisfied with the end results. His two food tasters also had no complaints whatsoever with them. Mike was just grateful that he had such an active lifestyle, and that Jeff seemed to have a fast metabolism, or they would both be the size of a house. It was also the first year that they had decided to actually have a tree in the loft; last year, they had stuck with garlands, tinsel and holly, but this year they went the whole hog and took the plunge. Caleb had watched from his bed in mild amusement as his three resident humans brought it in, and set it up in the corner, the look on his face seeming to say 'What are they thinking?' When he woke up later to find it decorated with tinsel, chains of beads, twinkling fairy lights and shiny glass baubles it was suddenly an object of immense interest. He stared at it bewitched, noticing his reflection in the baubles, and decided that it could be allowed to stay, as long as they remembered to feed him at the correct times. In fact, he noted with satisfaction, it might even make a nice new place to take a nap under…

Nick was also busy with his plans to host a small party, at which he would serve up a Christmas dinner, as they would not get one on the day itself. Instead, they would be eating a much more contemporary menu at the Unwedding. Details of that event remained scant; all that any of the guests knew for sure was that it was being held somewhere in Manhattan. By the time that they had reached Sunday the 20th, the lack of details had become a little exasperating. All of them were in agreement that they had to press the happy couple for more details and now; they had to think about the issue of transport to the venue after all. It would be easy enough to gang up on them that night at their joint bachelor party; they had followed Niff's example from the year before, and were holding it at their favourite club. Theirs was to be a more traditional affair though, with Sebastian insisting on a strict guys only rule. He had anticipated trouble from Santana at least when he made that decision, but as it happened, she had volunteered to work at the diner that night in any case to allow Michelle to head to Boston to visit her parents. After all, she had insisted on doing the Christmas Day shift herself. The diner had adopted a 'We never close' policy, and although it would be very quiet, Michelle knew that for some of their regular customers, the place would be a source of company on what might otherwise be a sad and lonely day. Tina was in Ohio visiting her folks; Mercedes had a concert to give. As for Kitty and Marley, they too were in Ohio visiting family, and the former had be heard to say that she wouldn't have wanted to attend it anyway to Artie.

It turned out to be a pretty raucous night. Sam's services were not required that evening; instead Beats and Flint had reluctantly agreed to perform. It was one thing after all to do their routine for a room full of strangers, and quite a different one to do it for your friends. They both later agreed that it was the performance that had given them the most nerves out of all they had done. It was a big hit though, with even the straightest of the guests having to admit that their act was hot. The rest of the night turned into a blur of alcohol, dancing, laughter and acting like fools. Seth, Luke, Duncan and Mason, who all remained sober, could only shake their heads, and decline quite forcefully when they were asked to join in in a round of body shots. It fell to Seth to notice a certain frisson as Elliot licked a stripe up Beats stomach. If he hadn't been so sure that Beats was straight - but then he realised that he actually had no evidence that the beat boxer was… All the time, a group of angels watched the antics of their living friends; as they got more and more drunk, Wes covered his face with his hands and groaned. Kurt and Blaine shared his trepidation. They too saw the thinly disguised look of lust in Beats eyes as he watched Elliot's every move. If the others had not already been so drunk, then they would most likely have twigged…

The following morning saw Jeff woken by a light pressure on his chest, and an inordinately loud miaow. He groaned, his head instantly reeling the moment that he opened his eyes and let the light in. It felt as if something had died in his mouth - and it was something small and furry. He realised that he was also still dressed - sort of. His shirt was on, but wide open, his belt undone, and he had one shoe off. Caleb miaowed again, and Jeff turned to look at the clock, and shuddered when he saw that it was nearly 9am; he had a shift at the diner at noon, so he would have to make a move. He would need to change, wash and enjoy a breakfast of coffee and Advil. He lifted Caleb off his chest, and turned to kiss Nick gently on the cheek - if he was awake, then his husband would be too. He was glad he had his eyes open, as it was not Nick lying at his side, but Mike. He pulled himself carefully up into a sitting position, and saw that Nick's head was resting on Mike's chest, and that his husband was being spooned from behind by Sam. Fortunately, all three of them were as dressed as he was. "Caleb," he whispered to the cat, "remind all of us never to drink so much ever again." Caleb's only response was to miaow at him again, and he winced at how loud it sounded.

Jeff shuffled his way through to the kitchen - he could not find his other shoe, nor could he bear the pain of bending down to untie the other one, so it was more of a half hop. He paused briefly to stare at the scene in the living room, where Ethan was snoring quietly in the armchair, and across from him, David, Thad and Flint were a tangle of limbs on the sofa. The kitchen was better, mainly as there were no sleeping people there, but worse for the fact that the cookie jar was sitting open and completely empty on the table; it was a sight that made Jeff feel like crying. He did groan, but it just made his head hurt. He attended to his first priority, which was feeding Caleb, though his contented purr was worse on his head than the miaow. He switched on the coffee machine, making sure to fill it to the brim; he would not be the only one craving it that morning. Then he headed to the bathroom to grab the Advil. He grabbed the box, and on his way back to the kitchen, glanced in the door of Mike's room, which was ajar. On Mike's bed Trent and Rory lay snuggled up together, so obviously in love, and their presence there explained why Mike had ended up in his bed. He turned to look at the other bed… As Jeff stared, open mouthed, he saw a stirring, and then a pair of eyes met his…

Jeff made his way back to the kitchen as quickly as he could, not noticing that Caleb, having been successful in waking Jeff to get fed, was now heading back to try the same trick with Nick or Mike. He poured himself a mug of black coffee, and a bowl of cereal - he had to try and eat something. He swallowed a couple of Advil, and then washed them down with a mouthful of strong, black coffee, hoping that his head would stop pounding soon…

"How long were you there? How much did you see?"

Jeff looked up at the source of the voice, and said "Just a few seconds, honestly. I didn't see anything to really worry about…"

"Ok, but maybe it is time for me to be completely honest," said a shirtless Beats, as he sat down next to Jeff. "I was intending to come clean at the wedding and let you all know anyway."

"Well, it won't bother any of us; you will still just be Beats to us. I take it that Flint knows about it, and there will not be any need for an emergency Warbler meeting in the men's room this Christmas?"

"Yeah, he knows… He kind of caught us kissing at Trent's wedding and it was almost a disaster all over again."

"So that is why the two of you disappeared for so long - and now that I think about it, so did Elliott."

"Yeah, guilty as charged. It was also when Santana and Brittany found out… I'm as shocked as you that she hasn't told anyone yet! By the way, I'm not gay or bi - I identify as pansexual."

"Well, I guess that Elliott does have a great personality, so I can totally see why you chose him. He's more or less the first guy though - am I right?"

"Yeah, he's the first guy that I have ever felt really strongly about. By the way, I'm impressed that you get it so quickly, blondie."

"Ah, but don't forget that Nick wasn't always sure that he was gay; he used to think that it was just me - so I looked into it, and realised that he might be pan. Then of course he saw François topless in Paris, and he knew then that it wasn't just me…" Beats laughed, and then moaned, clutching his head. Jeff nodded, and got up to pour him a coffee, before handing him the packet of Advil.

It was Nick that surfaced next, walking in moments later, passing them like a zombie, his hair sticking up in all directions in tufts. He went to get the cat food, and Jeff coughed, and said "He has been fed, Nicky! He is up to his old tricks, trying to take advantage of our pitiful state this morning to get more food than he actually needs or deserves. Come over here, sit down, and have some coffee and Advil."

"The breakfast of champions!" Beats said with a chuckle, although the latter made him wince.

"I am never drinking again. Ever!" said Nick. "I think that it was the body shots that did it. They were a nice idea, and fun at the time, but never again. I hope that our dear Sebastian is suffering every bit as much…"

"I've just realised," said Jeff. "He and Dave are the only ones that were drinking heavily that aren't here. I hope that they made it home safely."

"Well at least they can't get drunk married again," said Beats. "That ship has well and truly sailed."

"Right, I need to go and shower," said Jeff, finally managing to slip off his odd shoe. "I have work to go to in a couple of hours. Do you feel up to washing my back, Nicky?"

"I will always feel up to sharing a shower with you, my love," said Nick, with a wink, and the two of them left a blushing Beats to finish drinking his coffee.

By the time that Jeff left for work, feeling quite a bit better, the others had all also woken up, and had between them consumed a virtual lake of coffee, and every Advil in the house. Toast had been made - Sam had popped back across the landing to help himself to extra bread, and an additional box of Advil. He was happy to find the house completely empty, as it meant that he did not have to face the potential wrath of Rachel yet. Nick, out of concern for Sebastian and Dave, had called his sister, and Grace had informed him that the two of them had rolled home noisily in the early hours, Sebastian singing something completely unintelligible at the top of his voice. She had just been down to check on them - and Nick knew by the tone of her voice that this meant she had gone downstairs and had either rung the doorbell or battered on the door until one of them answered it. He also was quite sure that she had raised her voice as she was talking to him as a punishment, knowing full well that he would probably also be as hungover as his friends. At time, he thought, siblings could be so cruel…

Nothing more was heard from the two of them that day until just a few minutes before seven that evening, when all the guests received a group text finally informing them of the exact venue for the big event. There were surprised gasps from a lot of people; a few comments on how classy their choice of venue was; and a few hints of jealousy too. After all, it was the historic venue for the great and the good of New York city. All in all, though, they were all left looking forward to the day they would spend at the Rainbow Room…

Over the next few days, the remaining guests began to converge on the city. Ethan headed to Newark airport on the 22nd to meet Drew, and discovered that he had not come alone. He had brought his girlfriend Lucy with him, for her first visit to the United States, and also more importantly, to meet the boys. She was more than a little excited as they took a cab and headed in the direction of Manhattan, and was instantly in awe as she saw the landmark buildings that made up that familiar skyline for the first time in person. At the same time, though, she confessed that she was nervous about her first meeting with the other Warblers, and this did not change however much Ethan and Drew tried to reassure her.

Paul Karofsky arrived in the city on the 23rd, as did Julian Smythe and his son. They were taken to the diner on that first evening, so that they could meet up with as many of their friends as possible. Most of them had met Dave's father before, but Julian and Peter were a new commodity - after all, most of the Warblers hadn't even known that he existed at all until a few months ago. He was an instant hit though, as Lucy had been the night before; in his case though, that was largely due to the fact that his son was adorable, and he also knew a lot of tales, that he was only too happy to share, about a youthful Bazzy. The fact that Julian was good looking also went down well with several of the ladies. But it would be Peter that won all their hearts, and made them all smile when he told his Uncle Seb that he loved him.

Then all too soon it was Christmas Eve. Nick was busy in the kitchen from the second that he woke up. Mike and Jeff avoided the room, as they were liable to be given vegetables to chop, or a bowl to mix if they entered. His little dinner that evening had grown to include his sister, David, Mercedes and Thad alongside himself, Jeff, Mike and Tina. Cooper had a show that evening, so had sent his apologies. Nick had however been given a last minute request from David. He had asked him to set the table for nine, as he had organised a little surprise for Thad. Nick automatically assumed that Wes would be joining them, and so he set the extra place, and made it right next to Thad as David had asked. As the guests started to arrive, he kept the table hidden from them, as he did not wish to destroy the moment for Thad.

In the end though, it was Nick that got the first surprise that evening. Jeff went to answer the door, and opened it to reveal Mercedes and Thad together, with no sign of David. "He's running a bit late," explained Thad. "He had to go and pick up someone's Christmas present. You know what he's like; always leaves it to the last minute, and then forgets that the stores would have been so very busy all day…"

Jeff nodded, and after letting Nick know that David was not there yet, he took the two new guests to join the others chatting in the living room. Caleb had left the happy throng and retreated to the kitchen, largely because he could smell the chicken that Nick had cooked, and he was optimistic that a few morsels might head his way if he stayed close to the chef. It was a few minutes after the appointed start time that there was a beep of an incoming message on Thad's phone. It was a message from David to say that he was outside, and could he sneak out to open the door as he had something that he did not want Nick or Jeff to see yet. Shaking his head, Thad excused himself, and after popping his head into the kitchen to tell Nick that David was nearly there, and had said he should start to serve up, he went to open the front door. When he did, he did not see David. "Merry Christmas, Thad!" the man at the door said.

Thad stared in shock and disbelief for a moment before with a cry of delight he leapt forward and flung his arms tightly around his brother, with a whispered greeting of "Merry Christmas, Ollie!"

Thad held his brother close to him for a while, fighting the urge to burst into floods of tears. It was so good to have him in his arms; to feel his warmth; to actually have him physically present for the first time in so long. Oliver was the only one of his family that was prepared to give him the time of day now, and he loved him so very much because of it. There was just question in his mind - how was he even here..?

"Sorry I was a bit late in getting here, Nick. As you can see, I had to pick up Thad's Christmas gift, and there was a hold up on his train, and then we just missed the subway here." Thad looked up to see a broadly smiling David standing on the landing behind his brother, then he turned round slowly to see that Nick was standing behind him, with Jeff and Tina at his side.

"Ok, so who is he?" she said, and all of them burst out laughing.

"Let me get him through the door finally and I will introduce you all," said Thad, and he stepped aside to finally let Oliver and David in. The latter came in, took off his hat, coat and scarf, hung them up, and then with Jeff's assistance, dragged Tina back down the hall to the dining table, where she would just have to wait patiently. Nick was about to head back into the kitchen when Thad asked him to wait, and formally introduced him to his brother.

"It's nice to finally meet the guy that Thad always described as the nice member of his family. I'm just in the process of dishing up, so go through to the table and take a seat. And before you ask, I don't need any help, and even if I did, I would ask Jeff or Tina, mainly because the latter would be annoyed if I did…" said Nick.

Thad made quick introductions before the food arrived. He did not need to introduce Mercedes to Ollie, as he recognised her the moment he saw her. He dove into his bag, and pulled out a copy of her CD, making a friend for life when he asked her if she would sign it for him. As for the others, they all agreed that he was a charming guy, and the effect that he had had on Thad was impressive; for the first time since the night of Nick and Jeff's wedding, Thad seemed truly happy. No-one mentioned it, and then the food was on the table, and attention turned to it instead. They settled down to enjoy the veritable feast of Christmas food that Nick had prepared. There was little time for chatter as they all ate their fill, and what little talk there was, was largely aimed at Nick, praising him once again for his culinary expertise. The young man in question blushed more and more as his friends ran out of superlatives to describe the food they were eating. It was only after dessert, and cheese, as Nick wished to be sophisticated, that Thad finally got an opportunity to sit with his brother and talk.

"It is so good to see you Ollie, it really is, but I am concerned. I know how mom and dad feel about me these days, and I also know how important the concept of a 'Family Christmas' is to them; so I guess what I'm saying is, how can you be here, when you should be halfway home?"

"By telling a little white lie or seven, little brother. As you know, our dear elder brother Marcus…"

"Ah, Junior," said Thad, and set the two of them off into giggles.

"Marcus Junior is still in his job in Columbus, and doing so, so well; our eldest sister Zoë is in line to be the new head of Obstetrics in Cleveland, and Marcia is also in line for a promotion in Cincinnati. They will all be trailing home, but to me, how can they call it a family Christmas when you are not on the guest list? Plus working in Ohio is so depressing, everyone talking to me about dad, and my lovely siblings, so I thought a change of scene would be good. I have landed myself a new job here in New York, at the Beth Sinai Hospital."

"You're moving to New York. I have to say, that is pretty cool."

"I knew that you would agree; mom and dad were far from thrilled, and even Junior was brought in to lecture me, but I ignored them. They were even less happy when I told them that my first rostered shift in the ER was on Christmas Day…"

"You're working tomorrow?" said Thad, a note of sorrow in his voice. "That is a pity. You could have come with me to a wedding."

"Sebastian Smythe's? Oh yeah, David did mention that. The thing is, that was one of the little white lies. I don't start until the 28th, so I will be coming with you tomorrow. Telling mom and dad that I would be starting three days earlier than I am to get out of Christmas dinner - I am such a naughty boy…"

"I don't blame you for wanting to escape it! It will be all medical talk at the table as usual. But what if they call the hospital looking for you?"

"I have it set up so that the hospital will page me, but I will text them to say that I am too busy to call back. They should know after all how it can be in the ER."

"So I have the pleasure of your company all day tomorrow. That's the best Christmas gift I have ever had. I warn you now though that the wedding will be different to any you have been to before. It is a Warbler wedding after all. Expect Elvis; a lot of Elvis…"

"Elvis? I don't understand…." So, Thad, with the assistance of the others, explained to Ollie all about Sebastian's fascination with the King…


	70. A Winter Wedding Part I

**A Winter Wedding Part I**

Christmas Day came with the suggestion from the weather forecasters that the city could be about to experience its warmest one since their records began, with the temperatures forecast to be in the balmy mid sixties Fahrenheit. As he sat and watched the early forecast on the television, Sebastian could only sigh deeply. This was not what he had anticipated or indeed wished for when he and Dave had decided to choose today for their 'wedding'. He had imagined snow, or at the very least a harsh frost that would have rendered the ground white, not temperatures that would have some people reaching for the ice cream! He was sat on the couch in a grumpy mood as a result when Dave walked in. "Merry Christmas, husband!" he said with a smile, holding out a small package. "I was going to give this to you in the bedroom, but when I woke up…"

"Merry Christmas to you too, my love. I couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to wake you up, as you looked so peaceful lying there at my side."

"I hope that it wasn't second thoughts that were keeping you from sleep…"

"Be a bit late for them if it was," said Sebastian with a grin, "But no, if anything it was excitement. I got so lucky when you agreed to give our relationship another go after all I'd done to you…"

"Hey, we both did things back then that hurt the other. That is in the past, and it stays there. Now, open your gift…"

"I will, but not until I give you yours first," said Sebastian, getting up and taking a box from the pocket of his robe as he walked over to embrace his husband. "Happy Christmas, Dave, my only love…"

The gift giving was repeated across the city with almost all of their friends. Nick's gift of art books to Jeff, bought with the assistance of Sebastian via the Strand was received with excitement and joy; Jeff's gift, a selection of kitchen gadgets that he had been quietly amassing all year was just what Nick had been hinting for all year. Similar happy scenes were seen in the second bedroom of their loft, where Mike and Tina exchanged small gifts, tokens of their deep love. Caleb had not been left out of the gift giving either. He had woken up in the expectation of finding a few delicious morsels of left over chicken from the night before in his dish; the whole chicken breast in it, and the new toys that he would find by his bed later were things that filled the little cat's heart with joy. Across the landing, gift were also exchanged by the other two loft dwelling couples.

Nearby, Luke and Duncan surprised Seth early in the day by bounding into his room and jumping on his bed like a couple of over excited four year olds. They had brought with them almost all of the gifts that had been placed under their small Christmas tree. They knew that Seth was going to be waking up alone that morning, and this made them sad, so they decided that they would share their joyful morning with him, opening presents together as roommates. They did not say as much, but Seth knew what they were up to - he wasn't an idiot. He had to admit that it touched him that they would share what was their first Christmas living together with him so openly; he felt less of a roommate and more of a brother to them each and every day. He had the feeling that today, for the first time in many years, Christmas would be a day filled with fun and excitement, and he gave thanks for the fact that he had two wonderful roommates to share the holiday with.

In Murray Hill, as the married couple downstairs were exchanging their gifts, the engaged couple upstairs were opening their own gifts in the company of two young men; Mason, their usual lodger, and his friend Roderick, who having been invited to attend the wedding had subsequently been asked to come and stay over so that he would not wake up alone in his dorm room on Christmas morning. As he sat there in the kitchen, Christmas songs playing lightly in the background, opening gifts as a hearty breakfast was being prepared, he realised that Mason had struck gold when he was given the chance to live here. He thought of his own small dorm room, and how cold and noisy it was, and part of him wished that he didn't have to go back; that he could live here all the time…

They were eventually joined by their other guests, along with the two grooms from downstairs, invited up so that they did not have to cook breakfast on their big day. The presence of young Peter made the day even more special; all of them knew that there was nothing quite like watching the joy on a child's face as they opened their Christmas presents. The laughter around the table grew as time went on, with Paul Karofsky and Julian Smythe only too happy to regale them with tales of that first impromptu wedding day back in August.

"I still can't quite believe that you were married by 'Elvis'", said Cooper with a chuckle. "Is he performing the ceremony today?"

"No, I'm afraid that Elvis will not be in the building this time," said Sebastian. "That I don't mind, but… I wish it wasn't quite so warm; I really wanted snow. And I wish that François was here; I promised him that he would be invited to my wedding, and he hasn't really forgiven me for going off and getting married in Vegas without him. I know that it would have been a long way to come just for one day, but he was such a good friend to me, and I do wish that he could have been here to see me get married again…."

With his eyes downcast, neither Sebastian or Dave saw the wink that Cooper gave Paul at that moment; he couldn't change the weather, but…

At that moment, there came a knock at the front door, and Cooper nearly leapt up from the table in his haste to go and answer it. His eagerness to go and open the door did not go unnoticed by the others around the table. Sebastian smiled, and turning to Grace, said "I take it that this will be Mrs Anderson?"

"Yes, it should be. This means a lot to both of them, not that Coop has admitted it to me. This will be the first time in over a decade that Pam has been sober on Christmas Day and celebrated it with him. So please, can we all avoid making any caustic comments or doing anything that will spoil it for either of them."

"I wouldn't dare, Grace. I know from first hand experience how important it is to have your family back after you thought that you had lost them. Plus, it is the season of goodwill and all that other stuff," replied Sebastian.

"Ok, who are you and what have you done with my little brother?" said Julian, getting a laugh from around the table.

"Oh, don't worry, the old Sebastian is still inside; I just don't feel the need to let him out as often as I used to, mainly because these days I am pretty happy with the way my life is; I have a good circle of friends; I have my brother and a nephew; and I have the most wonderful man at my side. What else could I ever want or need?"

"Aww, I love you too, Meerkat," said Dave, and he leant in to kiss him, just as Cooper walked in with Pam.

"Ah, young love! It does me good to see it," she said. "Can I just thank you both for allowing me to come and attend your ceremony; I think that it is beautiful. A marriage that is based on true love will always be a strong one. Now I have one thing that I need to say to my son, and I want you all to witness it. Cooper, you need to know this. I have sent your father a Christmas gift that he will not like. It's a letter, from my lawyers, stating that I am filing for divorce, and that I intend to take him to the cleaners. Now, is there any coffee…?"

At the same time, Beats was waking up in Elliott's apartment downtown. It was not the first time that he had done so, but it was the first time that the two of them had shared a bed for the whole night; before, one of them had always slept on the couch. Last night though it had been Flint that had taken that not uncomfortable bed, and had insisted on doing so. As he had put it to them, "If tomorrow the two of you are going to come clean about the true nature of your relationship, then you should have shared a bed overnight at least once before that. I am not suggesting that the two of you 'sleep together', though I am sure you have. All I am saying is that you should do as other couples do, and snuggle up together under the covers." He had also pointed out that he was less keen to be the one sharing a bed with either of them. Now as he woke up, Beats looked at Elliott, curled up right next to him, and knew that Flint had been right. He had needed to do this; it had only confirmed what he had known for a while. Elliott was the one for him. Contrary to Flint's assumption, they had not taken the next step yet, but he was ready now. He had no fear about what he was going to do; his only regret was that he had not taken this next little step sooner. He felt Elliott start to stir in the bed next to him; could hear that Flint was up and about in the other room. This was the day that he, Beats Harper, started his life properly. This was the day that he would commit publicly to his boyfriend; to Elliott. As he, half awake, snuggled in closer, Beats could almost feel the smiles of angels upon him. He knew that they would be very happy for him.

The 'wedding' had been booked for 1pm; well before that time, the guests had started to arrive at the entrance to the Rainbow Room on West 50th Street. Cooper had been one of the first to arrive, on his own. He had told the rest of the assembled company that he had wanted to go and run some last minute checks. In fact, it was to sneak his big surprise for Sebastian up in the elevator and into one of the small ante rooms before he arrived. He was taking a big risk in doing this; anyone would have told him he was insane to even attempt it, but he felt sure that he would get away with it. He had just succeeded in his task when the elevator doors opened to admit Ethan, Drew and Lucy, and introductions had to be made. Hard on their heels were Beats, Flint and Elliott; the former took Cooper to one side, and asked if he could have a few moments before the ceremony started to address the room. Cooper agreed, and before he could say anymore, Beats walked away, leaving the older man curious as to why he wanted to speak to them all.

It was whilst they were waiting for the others to arrive that Elliott's phone started to ring. He was intending to ignore it until he saw who was calling him. He immediately wondered why his little brother was calling him; he knew that he was going to be out most of the day at the wedding, and they had agreed when they had been texting the previous night that Elliott would call Josh after 9pm, when they could be sure that their father would be slumped drunk in front of the television with their mom, and their sister would be out visiting her friends. He accepted the call as Beats chatted away to Flint. It was when Elliott said in an anxious tone "Ok, calm down… Where are you now?" that Beats glanced over. Elliott's smile had gone, and he looked about ready to cry. "What time will you get to Port Authority? Ok, when you get there, I will meet you. Stay at the stance until I get there, ok. I love you…"

"Ell, what is it?" said Beats, full of concern. Suddenly, with no warming, Elliott punched the wall and screamed. "Hey, hey! Ell, what's up? Tell me!"

Elliott looked up, in tears and said "My father has just repeated history all over again, this time with Josh. I guessed when we reconnected that he was gay too, and I have been dreading this happening, and now… He and his best friend Scott were fooling around last night, and Scott's mom caught them in a compromising position. She told her husband, and Scott's dad, in all innocence, decided it would be for the best if he called my father and let him know what was going on. My 18 year old kid brother is on a bus, in tears, his whole life packed up in a rucksack in ten minutes flat, on his way to the only sanctuary he knows…"

"Right, so you and I need to go and get him. Flint, we will be back, and tell them we will need an extra place at the table."

"Beats, we can't bring him here! He's a mess, and he doesn't know anyone apart from you two, and…"

"So it is high time he met us all. I am a firm believer that, as is the case in the Warblers, your brother is my brother. He's young, gay and scared. Us Warblers have a record of being very accepting to folk like that. Plus, what better way to show him that he is not alone in the world than to invite him to a gay wedding?"

"I don't know…"

"Well I do. Come on, let's go and grab a cab and get to that bus!" With those words, Beats grabbed Elliott by the arm and dragged him out again, passing Nick, Jeff, Mike and Tina as they stepped out of the elevator. They all looked after them with a degree of curiosity, Flint noticed, but then he saw that Jeff was not as curious as the others. It was hardly surprising; he had already caught the two of them together…

As the ballroom began to fill up at the Rainbow Room, Elliot and Beats found themselves making tracks for Stand 210 in the Port Authority Terminal. They had more or less stepped straight into a cab as they walked out of the building, and with the streets quiet due to the holiday, their journey was swift and trouble free. The cab pulled up outside just as the bus from Bergenfield was scheduled to arrive; having paid the driver, the two of them had run through the more or less empty building to find Joshua Gilbert standing at the stance, his face marked with tear tracks, his bag on his back. As he heard the sound of their feet echo through the building, he looked up, and seeing them, sprinted in their direction, throwing himself into the safety of Elliott's arms. "I've got you, Joshie. You're safe now. I will not let him hurt you; no-one will ever hurt you again."

Beats stood to one side awkwardly, and watched the reunion, not quite knowing what to do for the best as the two of them cried. Then, when he could see that their tears were dying out, he walked over. "That goes for me too. I know a group of guys that will have your back as well; a band of brothers…"

"Thanks Beats…. Look, I need to know; are you and my brother just friends or…?"

"Boyfriends. Yes, we are a couple. Speaking of friends, have you been in touch with your friend?"

"No, I just had to run. The whole thing was so awful…"

"So, we need to do something that will make today less awful, don't we Ell? So, number one, you should call…"

"Scott."

"Call him, because he might be worried already if he knows, and he will be even more worried if you just vanish on him. Not to mention the reaction he might get from your dad if he calls round to visit. You can do that from the back of the cab we are taking back to point two. Because you will be more than welcome to join us at the wedding."

"They really wouldn't mind? I don't want to be any trouble…"

"You won't be, will he Elliot?"

"No, I guess not - but maybe Josh doesn't feel up to going," said Elliott, concerned.

"How about it Josh? Want to come and see two guys getting hitched, meet my four friends that are already married to their boyfriends - oh, and see me making a spectacle of myself by coming out as being your brother's boyfriend to all my buds?"

"Can I Elliott?"

"Yeah, anything you want, Joshie. Then we can work out how we are going to share my apartment, because you will be coming to live with me. We'll need to work out school, but you will be living with me…" Josh nodded happily, and hugged Elliott again, but this time, he held out an arm and pulled Beats in too.

As another cab brought Beats, Elliot and Josh back to the Rainbow Room, the two most important guests were arriving with the members of their respective families. There were none of the nerves that Nick and Jeff had felt on their wedding day the previous year - after all, they were technically already married, and this was really just a piece of window dressing, a chance for all their friends to be there when they committed their lives to each other. They had travelled to the ceremony in an ordinary yellow cab; as Sebastian had said, in his opinion there was no need for a fancy limousine or a town car to take them. He had at one point threatened to arrive on the bus, as it was just as convenient. Now though, as they stood below the sign for the observation gallery and Rainbow Room in the street, they both felt a little bit of unease.

"It was much easier the last time," said Dave. "I want to do this, but it is a little bit overwhelming…."

"It's the venue, I think. I mean, this is the place where the great and the good hang out. If the walls could talk, what secrets they might tell… Plus there is the fact that most of your team mates are here too, and…"

At that point Sebastian was interrupted by Julian, who said "…you're not rolling drunk this time. Sobriety can be a curse. You don't have to go through with this, although there will be a lot of disappointed faces if you don't."

Sebastian took a deep breath, and closed his eyes, thanking Wes for telling him about this little trick years ago. "No, we are doing this. Ready to show the world how much we love each other, husband of mine?"

"I have never been more ready for anything in my life, Sebby." With that, the two grooms linked arms, and as the doorman opened the door for them, they head with purpose for the elevator, followed by the two best men and the page boy.

They were greeted in the elevator lobby on the 65th floor by Cooper and Flint. The latter spoke first. "Guys, Beats has had a bit of an emergency crop up, and he has had to go and deal with it, but he has just sent me a text to say that he is on his way back. He would also like to make an announcement to everyone before the ceremony, if that is ok."

"I guess, as long as he isn't going to steal our thunder. He isn't about to declare his undying love for you, is he? Or is he saving that for a _Mrs Robinson_ style moment on your wedding day?" asked Sebastian, with a grin.

"I can't tell you exactly what it is, but no, it isn't that…!"

"And before we get into any more discussion," said Cooper, "I have a confession to make. I have been keeping a secret from you, Sebastian. If you and Dave could come with me now, just for a moment, then I can tell you what I have done in a moment of madness…"

"That sounds rather ominous," said Dave.

"Yes, it does," agreed Sebastian. "Ok, lead the way Coop. Let us know exactly what you have done…"

In a moment, they were with Cooper in the side room; he had backed up against the wall, and the two grooms did not take their eyes off him for a moment as they stepped up to him, arms folded across their chests. "Ok, Hummel-Warbler, what have you done? If you have messed up my 'wedding' day, then you will need more angels than you know to protect you. In fact, Dave, go and get Santana…."

"Mon ami, that is a terrible thing to say to this good man. Where are your manners, Guillaume?"

Sebastian froze, his mouth open. He spun round, and saw François standing in the doorway to another small room. "Oh, my, God! François! How…When…I love you Coop!" screamed Sebastian, and promptly landed on the startled man, smothering him with kisses, as Dave laughed and went over to hug François.

"I thought that it was you that he was marrying, not the brother of Blaine…"

"He's supposed to be, yeah…" and then Dave stopped, having seen into the other room. He had seen something that made him even happier, and he knew it would make Sebastian even more ecstatic. "Err, Sebby, put Cooper down before Grace gets worried, and then come and take a look through this door. There is something in here that you really need to see."

Sebastian let Cooper go, much to his relief, and headed over to pull François into his arms. "I am so glad that you are here! I mean when I asked you, you said that you couldn't afford it; that you couldn't leave your family at Christmas."

"All that is true, mon ami. But then Cooper offered to pay, and I also sorted out the issue of leaving my family at home, particularly Luke and Jean-Marc…"

Sebastian looked at his friend, then at Dave, and saw the big grins on their faces. "No, you didn't…you did…" Then he looked into the other room, and saw the two young men in question standing there. With another shriek of absolute joy, he dashed into the room, and pulled them both into his arms.

"Ok, I have to say it," said Dave to Cooper as he regarded his husband with mild amusement, "Great though it is that you did this for Sebastian, isn't it going to cause you all kinds of issues with your mom being here as well? If she sees François - and how is she not going to - won't she think that she is seeing Blaine? And worse yet, what is she smells a rat when she sees him?"

"Ok, I have thought about all this; agonised over it if I am honest. François in his normal attire, without the gelled hair, looks just a little like my late lamented brother. There are a number of key differences. He is living, and my mom would expect a living Blaine to have an olive skin tone. Anyway, to keep us safe, Grace will be keeping my mom as far away from him as possible at all times! Nick has also been asked to help there…"

"…though right now, he doesn't know exactly why he has to keep Mrs Anderson company all day," said the young man in question, who standing at the door. "Grace told me that you would be in here. She asked me to tell you that Beats and Elliott are back; for some reason, Elliott's brother is with them, and he has a bag that needs to be stored. Looking at him, I am getting a strange sense of déjà vu. She thought that we could maybe leave it in here." Nick held up the bulging rucksack, and Cooper motioned him to come in, winking at Dave as he did so. Nick was barely over the threshold when he saw who else was in the room. He gasped, and said "François! Oh my… Joyeux Noel! You're here, and nobody said… Jeff! Trent! Rory! Get in here now!" he yelled suddenly, and moments later the three young men in question ran into the room…

Out in the main room, they had all heard the raised voices, followed by a series of screams and shrieks from the little side room. Now as Nick yelled for Sebastian's closest friends, eyebrows began to be raised. "So I guess that Dave has come to his senses, and realised that a divorce is preferable to marriage," said Santana, instantly earning her a glare from Mike, Sam and Artie.

"Even I think that statement is slightly uncalled for," said Kitty from her seat by Artie. "Maybe Sebastian just found out that Elvis can't make it…" There was a barely suppressed giggle from somewhere at that, and moments later they were all laughing.

"Ok, so maybe I should go and see what is going on," said Julian to Paul, from their seats on opposite sides at the front. "I mean, they were both having a little wobble outside earlier, and this sounds like a bigger one."

"Dave is in there, and he isn't doing any yelling," replied Paul. "Trust me, if Sebastian was doing anything that was going to jeopardise the whole of today, then Dave would be yelling back at him every bit as loudly. We should just bide our time, and let it settle down itself."

At that moment, Trent and Rory emerged from the room, the two of them grinning from ear to ear. They were almost immediately pounced on by Santana, but she was not given a chance to even open her mouth before Trent spoke. "Cooper has flown François in from Paris for a second time, along with his older brother and his best friend. Sebastian had no idea, and he has naturally got a little overexcited about it. They will be out in a moment, and then we will be getting started."

Santana sat back down, and saw that Mike had gone very pale indeed. "Okay Chang, why the face?"

"Because Pam is here… Today could get very interesting indeed," he replied.

Time was indeed getting on, but soon enough Sebastian and Dave emerged, as Nick and Jeff walked out behind them with François and his two companions, finding them a seat behind where Pam sat, but off slightly to the side, so that she would struggle to see them during the ceremony. The two grooms made their way to the front, pausing for a moment so that Sebastian could whisper "Is everything alright?" to Beats as he passed. He got a nod from him, and so he went on. Then it was almost time… Everyone was in place.

It was then that Cooper motioned to Beats, and he got up, and made his way to the front. "Ok, everyone, before we get on to the main event, I have a bit of an announcement to make, and this was the best chance to let all of my friends know at the same time. I feel that I can call almost everyone in this room a friend, so I have no qualms in saying this. I want to tell you all that I am pansexual. Now for those of you that don't know what that means - which probably means most of you - it means that I fall in love with the soul of a person, with no regard to their sex. Today I want to announce that I have found the soul that makes my soul happy, and that I love very much. It began a few months ago now, and of all of you, only Flint, Santana, Brittany and Jeff know what I am about to say - and the last three only found out by accident, so please don't look at Jeff like that, Nick! Ladies and gentlemen, I would like my boyfriend to come up here and join me. I'm sure Josh won't mind, Elliott, if you do…"

The room fell silent. This was something that none of them had seen coming, so good had the two of them been at hiding just how close they had become. True, there had been that day back in July when the three of them had disappeared for hours in the gardens at Trent and Rory's wedding, and Flint and Beats had held up the first dance by their absence, but not even Santana had been anticipating a declaration of love today. Also true was the fact that as Beats had assumed, most of them had no concept of what pansexuality actually was, but that didn't mean that they couldn't find out. All that mattered at that moment was the fact that Beats and Elliot were all smiles, as was Josh; he had arrived looking sad and nervous, but now he was beaming. Flint was also all smiles as he sat next to Izzy. Ethan was perhaps the most shocked of them all, as he lived with Beats and had known nothing - but then, as he began to think about it, he realised that Beats and Flint had not been as joined at the hip as they had used to be all year. It also made sense of why Flint had been so keen for him to come with him to his diner shift, and why Elliott was never on duty when he was there.

Nick meanwhile was regarding Jeff with curiosity, wondering just when his husband had found out. For his part, Jeff said nothing out loud, just mouthed the word "Later" to him. He was grateful that he had only been asked to keep the secret from Nick for a short space of time - he didn't like doing it. Now though, as he noticed how happy Beats looked as he stood there with Elliott at his side, he realised that it had been a very long time since he had seen the beatboxer looking quite so radiant. If, as he thought, Elliott was to Beats what Nick was to him, then his heart was with him, and he would do everything within his power to support the two of them.

After a round of congratulations, Elliott and Beats returned to their seats. Josh ended up sitting between the two of them, his head leaning in on his brother's shoulder, but then in a gesture that made Beats smile, Josh reached across and took his hand. He had only met his boyfriend's brother once before today, but it was obvious that the boy trusted him already, and the idea of having a younger brother to look out for did appeal to Beats. The arrival of Josh as a permanent fixture was bound to have an effect on the relationship that he and Elliott were just beginning to establish, but he was sure that if they were careful, the three of them could make it work for all of them. Mistakes would no doubt be made, but as long as they kept the lines of communication open, then they could work it out. Today was not about them though, so Beats turned his attention back to the front, but not before placing his other arm around Elliot's shoulder. This gesture earned him and "Awww!" from Tina and smiles from everyone else.


	71. A Winter Wedding Part II

**A Winter Wedding Part II**

Now though, it was time for the main event. The two grooms now took centre stage at the front with the celebrant, who to the surprise of some was not dressed as Elvis, but was a soberly dressed older man, who had waited quietly for the moment to arrive. Now that Beats had outed himself, they could begin with the ceremony proper.

"We are assembled here today to celebrate the marriage of Dave and Sebastian. They are, as you are all aware, already married to each other, having done so in a moment of randomness in that city in the west… They both felt though that they needed to reaffirm their commitment to each other in sobriety, surrounded by the friends that had felt deprived by the swift nature of the previous ceremony. They are still young; that was the first thing that I noted when they approached me. The fact is though that Sebastian's three best friends from high school are already married, which proves my colleagues wrong. It shows that the younger generation can commit when they want to. It makes me so happy to see that in this age of short lived friendships and of social media relationships, there are still people that believe in love and the long term. Now strictly, as they are already married, all I have to do here today is run through a few short vows. They have requested that I do not do that, but begin by asking that age old question - Is there anybody here that knows of any reason why these two people cannot be married? If they do, they must declare that reason now - and I have been asked at this point to state that the absence of Elvis is not a reason…" There was an outburst of laughter from around the room, although there had to be hurried explanations, not just to Ollie Harwood and Josh Gilbert, but also to Matt Rutherford who had missed out on seeing the video. Dave's teammates laughed the longest, as they all already knew about his husband's obsession with the King of rock and roll.

"Given that there are no objections, let us proceed," said the celebrant once the laughter had stopped, and so the service began, with all of the usual formality that came with such an occasion. Then it was time for the vows. Sebastian had insisted that Dave went first, claiming that it was only right by the alphabet and because he had gone first the last time. Dave had agreed, and now he stood and faced the room and spoke. "Most of you will know that my road to this point in my life has not been an easy one. To say that when I realised that I was gay I accepted it with grace and tranquillity would be a lie. I was raised in a state where tolerance was often in very short supply; in fact, I would go as far as to say that tolerance was not tolerated. I then proceeded to make the life of another young gay man intolerable in high school, but that did have the side effect of sending him to a place called Dalton Academy, where he would meet the young man he would spend the rest of his life with… Kurt and Blaine, if you guys are watching us, I am grateful that I knew you, because between you, in the end, you made me realise that it was ok to be me." He paused, and smiled at the two angels standing at the back of the room. "Of course, before then I did something very stupid, brought on by a combination of events, and triggered by one catty remark…from my husband to be. As I lay in my hospital bed in the aftermath, Kurt came to see me, and told me to picture a future where my gorgeous husband came to meet me at work, with our son. Did I picture Sebastian that day - maybe… What I do know now is that he is the man that I can picture myself with in fifty years time. He surprises me every day with small expressions of his deep love and affection, making me feel so loved and lucky. I'm not saying that our life together will be easy; there will be hurdles to cross, but the thing is that as long as he is by my side, then nothing will be insurmountable. I promise him that I will be there for him in the good times and the bad; when money is tight, and when it is plentiful; and I will care for him until the day that one of us leaves this world for the next. You are a good man, Sebastian Smythe, and I love you."

Then it was Sebastian's turn. "Dave, sometimes I feel that I am not worthy of all the love that you give me. Let us be perfectly honest here. The first time that we met was in a pretty nasty bar called Scandals; you were still in the closet, pretty much, and I was earning myself a rather unsavoury reputation. I did not believe in love or romance; it was not real to me, just a concept that people used to take advantage of you at your most vulnerable moments. The reason for that was plain; my mom had rejected me entirely weeks earlier, my dad barely suffered my existence out of duty, and my half brother had, at my father's behest, also left my life. Love was something that people offered you as they walked out the door… I was cruel all the time, and lashed out. Then, one day, I found out just how much damage my remarks could cause. When David and Thad came to me that day, and the former spat out the words _"You do realise that you have crossed the line now; you nearly killed someone this time!"_ it left me shattered. Because the truth was that even then, despite the harsh words that I had used on you that night, I liked you. You were different. That was why I came to the hospital to beg for your forgiveness. Even then, a part of my heart broke at the knowledge of what you had tried to do. I decided that it would be for the best if I stayed away from you after that, and let you live your life away from my poison. That was what I did, and it hurt. The pain was worth it though if it meant that I did not end up hurting you. It would be another tragedy that would reunite us, and I had realised by then that by staying away from you I wasn't just punishing myself; I was punishing you too. I opened myself up to the idea of love, and I have never looked back. Dave, I am meant to spend my life with you; we are opposites in so many things, but that is why we work so well together. I promise that I will be faithful, loyal and supportive of you in everything we do, for the rest of eternity. You and me, we will last forever. With you, I make the right choices. I love you, Dave Karofsky."

"And now, by the powers granted to me by the city of New York, I declare that Dave Karofsky and Sebastian Smythe have committed themselves to each other, this time in the sight of all their friends and in a state of complete sobriety. It gives me the greatest of pleasures, given that I do have a full knowledge of their past histories, to declare that they are now husbands, joined together until death do them part. Ladies and gentlemen, please join with me in congratulating the newlyweds, Dave and Sebastian Karofsky-Smythe." And then, to the sound of tumultuous applause, Dave pulled Sebastian into his arms, and sealed their second wedding with a kiss.

The ceremony was over, but it was not quite yet time for the food, so instead of a stampede to their tables, the two grooms made their way through the room in a leisurely fashion, taking time to chat to all of their guests. There were hugs from Warblers and New Directions alike. The warmest hug that Sebastian received was from Santana, to his shock; she took the opportunity to whisper in his ear "Don't forget; Dave and I did date very briefly in junior year, so I am technically one of his exes."

He replied with the words, "From what I hear, dear Satan, you were the last girl he ever dated. You have a wonderful effect on men…" Both Sebastian and Dave saved their warmest hugs for Beats and Elliott, both of whom had been congratulated just as much as the two grooms, and introductions were made to Josh. They made it plain to him that if he ever needed to escape from his brother and Beats, they lived close by and he would be made welcome. For his part, Josh nodded. He knew that no-one other than his brother, Beats and Flint knew exactly why he was there, but it would come out; it had to, and the fact that he was already being welcomed into the circle of friends made him happy. The fact that he had managed to phone Scott and let him know that he was ok had reassured both of them. Scott had seen his dad come off the phone to Josh's father and that he had been as white as a sheet; then he had turned to his mom and said that he thought he had just made a massive mistake. He had worried until Josh called, and now he was happy that he was safe with his brother, and jealous that he was actually attending a gay wedding. Scott had of course wanted to come and visit, and Elliott had agreed, but had asked if they could have a couple of days to allow things to settle before he made the trip.

Cooper meanwhile was having to deal with issues of his own. The moment that the ceremony was over, Pam had turned to face him and said, "I have just remembered who that boy is; he is the one that almost blinded Blaine!"

"Yes, mom, he is. Blaine forgave him though if you recall. He knew that he was not the intended target, and that he only got in the path of the tainted slushie because he was shorter in stature than Kurt; if he had not dived in…"

"That is beside the point, Cooper; the fact remains, he did hurt my son. However, as you say, your brother did forgive him, and I guess that for his sake, I will too."

"Sebastian might also be the tenant that lives in the basement of my house, and that is the main reason why I was desperate for dad to stay away from there when you visited. He has changed mom; he is actually a kind young man, and he was the one that held the clue to solving Kurt's murder."

"I understand dear, but your father would not have, so you did the right thing. Now there is one other matter that is troubling me. That boy there, the one that Blaine's other school friend - Nick, if I recall - brought in. Is it me, or does he look a lot like your brother? The skin is wrong, but in all other respects…. Who is he?"

Cooper suddenly felt as if someone was dancing on his grave. His skin was cold, and he barely held back a shiver. "I don't really know, mom. I have never met him before today. He is an old friend of Sebastian's from Paris, I think…"

"And he flew all the way here, for his wedding, at Christmas. They must have been 'close' friends."

"Very close, from what Nick told me, mom," said Cooper. He watched as suddenly his mother went pale, and he took a breath, and silently prayed.

"It does explain one thing to me…" said Pam, not noticing the panic in Cooper's eyes at her words. "It explains why Sebastian latched on to Blaine when he arrived at first. He does seem very happy now, and I am pleased for him. Marriage, if done with the right person can be a wonderful state of affairs, as you and Grace will find out soon enough, I hope." Cooper nodded, but he knew that for them, marriage was still a little way off.

Julian meanwhile was also busy introducing himself to the few guests that he had yet to meet. He had met most of the younger ones in the last few days, and he had chatted to Burt and Carole earlier. He know made his way over to the two women that had been sitting towards the back of the room, leaving Peter in the capable hands of Paul Karofsky. He knew that the older of the two women was Sebastian's dean at NYADA and he knew that he had to make a good impression there. The other he did not know, and he hoped that when he went over, she would either introduce herself or he could ask her without his usual degree of awkwardness. Mainly because he wanted to know if she was single. She was older, well dressed and just the kind of woman he liked. He made his way over and introduced himself to Madam Tibideaux, who he instantly liked; she could see the talent in his brother in a way that their father never could. Then he turned to the lady next to her, who instantly introduced herself, much to his relief. He was delighted to make the acquaintance of Isabelle Wright…

From the other side of the room, Sebastian had initially groaned inwardly as he saw the mildly flirtatious moves that his brother was directing towards Isabelle. He did so for a number of reasons; firstly, he did not believe that a such a sophisticated woman, the online editor of _Vogue_ , would fall for them, and that would be embarrassing to say the least; or worse, she would fall for them, and he would be the one left to pick up the pieces and deal with the fallout after his brother headed back west. He tried in vain to attract Julian's attention for a few moments, but then to his relief, the maître d' came in and announced that dinner would now be served. This meant that his brother had to abandon his chat with Isabelle and take a seat at his side. The moment that he did so, whilst there was still hubbub as the others took their places, he hissed in his brother's ear "Why were you flirting with Isabelle? Don't get me wrong, she is lovely, but…"

"But what, Bazzy?" Julian whispered back. "I hope that it isn't an age thing, because I find an older woman to be far more alluring, unlike father, who prefers his woman to be half his age or less these days. And yes, I know that she is based here in New York, and she can't leave. I was going to keep this as a surprise as it isn't confirmed yet, but my firm has a facility just across the Hudson in New Jersey, and I have asked for a transfer to work there. True, it would be much further to go to visit Peter, but at the moment I am close and still don't see him more than a few times a year in any case. I applied for it as, for some bizarre reason, I wanted to live closer to my little bro, and hence any future nieces or nephews. I mean, I was thinking about it before you came back in my life, but now I have an even better reason."

Sebastian sat in shock for a moment, and then replied "You are seriously telling me that you are willing to give up the glamour of Vegas for…"

"…the dull suburban hell of New Jersey. Yes I would, because I would get to see more of you. Of course, if the lovely Ms Wright happened to come into the picture too, then that is an added bonus…"

Sebastian said nothing more on the matter as at that point the first course arrived in front of them - Italian Wedding Soup. Everyone did wonder about what seemed to be an Italian theme to the wedding meal, as Dave's family roots were back somewhere in Eastern Europe, and those of Sebastian where in England and France. Then they all recalled that the only reason they where here in the Rainbow Room was because they had had a last minute cancellation… "They actually took the food from the other wedding too! I would say that it was cheap, but I think that these days they would call it recycling instead," said Santana with a shake of her head.

"It is delicious soup though," responded Brittany, " and it does fit the occasion so well. Though when it is our wedding, I don't think that I would want soup - maybe some kind of tartlet instead…" Santana blushed as everyone around them looked over and smiled as Brittany began to plan out her wedding menu.

After an Italian inspired selection of main courses, they moved on to dessert, most of them opting for the Tiramisu. After a few spoonfuls, all of them agreed that whoever made it had been a little heavy handed with the amount of coffee liqueur that they had used. Nick immediately took action to ensure that the younger guests did not receive a second helping, grateful that young Peter had settled for gelato instead. He was so caught up in that mission that he missed Jeff having a third plate, wondering all the time of Nick could possibly make such a delicious dessert. When he returned from his mission, he did ask, in such a slurred voice that Nick immediately began to feed him slices of panettone and espresso coffee in the hope of returning him to a sober enough state that he could perform the role that he had been chosen for during the song for the first dance after the speeches.

Neither of the two best men wanted to make a long drawn out speech. When Paul Karofsky stood up, his first words were that he would be brief. He continued, "I would like firstly to thank all of you for coming here to celebrate the marriage of my son to the one and only Sebastian. You have all given up your own family Christmas to do so and that is appreciated. Today was, of course, not their actual wedding - that was in the Little Chapel of Elvis in Las Vegas. If any of you have not seen the video, then see Artie Abrams later. Now, normally when people get married in haste in Vegas, they quickly realise that they made a big mistake. In this case, they didn't, and I think we can all agree that marriage suits them. Now, at this point, it is customary that I read out messages from absent friends. Now on my side, there is only one person not here, and the 'charming' message that I received from my ex-wife is one that I will not repeat. I think that all of us will agree that she is the loser today. Anyway, I would ask you now to raise your glasses and join me in a toast to Dave, Sebastian and true love!" Glasses were raised, and the toast repeated with enthusiasm.

Then it was the turn of Julian to stand up, which he did with a flourish and a smile in the direction of Isabelle, who smiled right back. Sebastian saw all of it and groaned quietly. He suddenly heard a voice behind him say "I quite agree, Sebastian. I am not yet convinced that your brother is right for my guardian angel. If he ever hurts her…" The fact that at that moment he and Kurt were finally in agreement on something amused Sebastian no end.

"Ladies, Gentleman, for those that do not already know, my name is Julian Smythe, and I have the privilege of being Sebastian's half-brother. As with Paul, I am almost the only family member that my brother has in the room today, the other being my son, who is keeping up family tradition by charming every lady in the room. There is no message from Sebastian's mom, who is probably not even aware this event is taking place. The only message that I was given was from his old Parisian friend Anton, who now lives in Berlin, and could not join us. It is entirely in French, and I have to confess that mine is very rusty indeed. Anyway, I let Seb's friend François read it in the hope he could translate it, but he went very pale, and told me that there was no way I could read it out in public… Sebastian, you can have it to read yourself later. You may also have noticed that our beloved father is absent; he is at the start of his third divorce, and is probably spending the day with the unlucky woman who may become number four. Even if he wasn't, he would not have come, as he regards this as an embarrassment; unlike my boy there, sitting with the wonderful lady he now calls Nanny Carole, who told me that he thinks his Uncle Sebastian and Uncle Dave are really cool. Which as we all know, is true… Family can be a blessing, or a curse. Our father belongs firmly in the latter category, because thanks to him, I lost ten precious years of time with my little brother. Now I will be doing everything in my power to be at his side, because trust me, Uncle Jules will be there from day one. So my toast is to siblings, and friends; because I can see from this room that when your own family lets you down, your friends become a family instead. To friends…" Once more glasses were raised, and a toast shared as Julian turned and pulled Sebastian into a hug.

Then it was time for the first dance, and everyone waited with bated breath for the music to begin. Given what had happened at the two previous Warbler weddings, they all knew that it was unlikely to be a conventional waltz track. They all watched as the two already married Warbler couples made their way up to the front, joining Thad on the stage; the latter turned up the collar on his jacket, and made them all laugh. After all, virtually everyone was expecting an Elvis song to be performed - indeed, popular betting amongst the guests, started by Puck, had settled mainly on _Can't Help Falling in Love_. Burt had stepped in before any cash had actually changed hands, but he had nonetheless agreed it was the inevitable choice. They all also noted that Jeff seemed a little unsteady on his feet after his overdose of Tiramisu, and held on to Nick just a little more tightly than he normally would have done.

As Sebastian and Dave took their spot in the middle of the dance floor, there was silence in the room, apart from someone humming an Elvis tune, much to the amusement of most. Then without warning, Thad stepped to one side, and Trent stepped forward instead; the music began, and to the shock of everyone, he began to sing the Andy Williams standard _Happy Heart_. Sebastian held Dave close as they whirled across the floor, as the guests watched with beaming smiles, and Trent made the song his own. Wes watched him with a beaming smile, proud of the man he had become, when he recalled the nervous, quiet and shy boy he had been on his first day at Dalton. To think that he had always said no to a solo when offered once upon a time… As for Kurt and Blaine, they had their hands entwined in each others, and were staring right into each others eyes, as they both sang softly along to what had always been one of their own favourite tunes.

When Trent finished, it was to applause from everyone in the room. That meant that Thad could head back to centre stage, swiftly followed by Brittany, Kitty, Marley and Tina. Rory and Trent stepped off, and then the music began again, this time playing a song that made them all laugh from the off, given that Thad was doing his best Elvis impression once again, singing _A Little Less Conversation_ \- but the most recent version, with the JXL collaboration. It also involved Nick and Jeff taking helium from a balloon to raise their voices to the right sound, which made even Sebastian laugh. The grooms no longer found themselves alone on the floor either. Julian made a beeline for Isabelle, and she accepted his invitation eagerly. Sebastian seriously began to wonder what life would be like with her for a sister-in-law. He smiled as he noticed that his nephew was also dancing on the floor, invited to join Santana. Such a selfless act made Sebastian smile, and ponder why he had ever hated her so much. She was now one of his best friends, and a kinder soul all round. Happiness he guessed did that to people in the end. He could vouch for that himself. He looked once more into the eyes of his husband. The man he adored, who adored him right back. He felt truly content for the first time in his life. He had love, success, friends and family. He could quite happily stay in this state, this place, in his husband's arms for the rest of his life. He just hoped that he would be so blessed…

Although he was intending on staying in his husband's arms for the rest of his life, he was about to get a nasty shock. After fifteen minutes or so on the floor, Sebastian and Dave decided to sit down for a moment. They left the floor, intending to make their way over to where François sat with Luke and Jean-Marc, but halfway there they were stopped by the manager of the Rainbow Room, who informed them that they would have to wind up their reception immediately, as there was another function beginning in an hour's time. "I'm sorry, but what?" said Sebastian. "I understood that when I made the booking, I was to have full use of the venue until midnight, and it is barely four in the afternoon now!"

"I'm afraid that we at the Rainbow Room reserve the right to alter the duration of events at short notice should there be another pressing need. We have just had a last minute request for the use of the space from a regular client, and as such, to avoid disappointing them, we have to ask you and your guests to leave," said the manager, looking down his nose at them slightly.

Sebastian stood in shock, his mouth wide open, unable to even speak. He turned to look at Dave but found him gone…

"Excuse me? I believe that there is an issue with the contract that you entered into with my client in connection with the duration of his use of these premises?" came a strident voice, and Sebastian turned to see that Dave had gone to fetch an angry looking Grace. As his husband placed an arm around him, Grace and the manager began to discuss the situation in quiet tones, and Sebastian crossed his fingers in hope, praying that his big day was not about to be marred. However, as the manager strode away and Grace turned to face them, he knew at once that his hopes had been in vain on this occasion…

"Ladies and Gentlemen," said Sebastian, five minutes later. "I have an announcement to make. Thank you all firstly for taking the time to come here and join my husband and I on this very special day. It was so good of you all to give up your own Christmas plans and travel long distances, in many cases, just to be here for us. I hope that you have all enjoyed being here in the iconic Rainbow Room; it is after all one of New York's most illustrious venues, favoured by the rich and famous for generations… Of course, some of those rich and famous people are complete douchebags, but some small minded petty people will still bow down and grovel to them. Which is why I am afraid that I have to tell you all to leave…"

There was stunned silence at first, then with a burst of laughter, Santana shouted "Nice try meerkat! Anything to save money!"

"Actually, Santana, I'm being totally serious. We do have to leave. You see, the spineless management here got a phone call from a certain wealthy businessman who, God help us all, wants to be President. He wants to hold a party here for his cronies in just under an hour. Naturally, you can't tell him no, not possible. Not if you have no backbone and care so little about the destruction of one small person's dreams. So, the party is over, I'm afraid." Sebastian looked away, and they all knew why; they had seen the tears forming in his eyes.

"The party doesn't have to be over, Seb," said Trent.

"I don't think that a sit in would work - they'd just call the NYPD. Nor would an appeal to the man himself; he'd have to have a heart," replied Sebastian, his voice now strained and tearful.

"I think what Trent meant was that we can take the party and move it downtown," said Nick. "After all, what is the point in owning a diner…"

"They have a point, Seb," said Thad. "So _he_ wants us to go? Fine by me. We go somewhere that might not have the same cache, but has a better atmosphere. So, everyone, make your way to the Spotlight! This is a Warbler wedding, and they go on into the early hours!"

"I'll call Michelle and let her know we're coming," said Santana, who promptly pulled out her phone.

Brittany meanwhile had made her way up to Sebastian, and said "Come on meerkat! Get your coat and your husband, and let's go and have a real party in a place that is welcoming to everyone." She held out her hand, and Sebastian took it, looked up and nodded. There were cheers, and a scramble to the cloakroom.

They left, all taking a moment to scowl at the manager as they walked past him. Burt turned to Carole as they walked by and talked loudly about mentioning this to his colleagues in Congress, which made the man uneasy… However, it was only when Isabelle, on Julian's arm stopped, took out a card from her purse, and handed it to him with the words "Anna will hear all about this…" that he began to realise that he might have made an error of judgement about the guests, and that maybe he should have said no after all…

By the time the last of the guests had left, he discovered that half of the casual staff had gone with them, sickened by what had just happened, and with a mere handful of staff, he had less than forty minutes to tidy up and prepare the room afresh. This turned out to be harder than expected. There seemed to be a problem with the air conditioning, as sudden gusts of air seemed to plague the room, blowing over place cards moments after they were set down, and worse still, blowing in such intensity on one poor server that she screamed in fright and dropped an entire tray of glasses of champagne just as the guests arrived en masse in the foyer, leaving a pile of shattered glass and liquid right in front of the elevator. As it turned out, there was no great need for the haste that was shown to clean it up. As the host and his entourage were riding up in the elevator, a malfunction occurred, which left it jammed solid between the 42nd and 43rd floors, with only a dim emergency light functioning. Indeed, none of the bank of elevators would now work, leaving the guests stranded many floors below. An engineer was summoned at once, but such was the nature of the fault that it would be the early hours of the next morning before the by now irate businessman and his family could be let out…

Sometimes, just sometimes, an angel is allowed to enjoy the pleasure of a little bit of poetic justice…


	72. The Perils of Family

_I think the title says it all..._

 **The Perils of Family**

Wes Montgomery was not involved in the stopping of the elevators at the Rainbow Room. He had gone ahead of the others to have a chance to talk to Michelle in private for a few minutes. One of the best things about being an angel, he had long ago decided, was the ability to travel so fast. The diner was almost empty when he arrived. The handful of customers were being well looked after by the two staff on duty, but there was no sign of his cousin. That was when he felt it; that little niggle in the base of his wings which told him that something wasn't right, and that Michelle was not in a good place. He made his way to the office, and sure enough, he found her sitting there at the desk, her head in her hands, sobbing away quietly. "Hey cuz, don't cry! Whatever it is, it can't be so bad as to warrant you sobbing on Christmas day…"

She lifted her head and looked right at him, and at that moment he knew that it was. "Oh, Birdy, it is the worst thing possible that has happened, and I am afraid that it all concerns you. Sometimes it is better to leave things alone, and let sleeping dogs lie. I know that, and still… But now I have opened Pandora's Box, and all of the bad things in the world have emerged to haunt us all…" She stopped and sighed, looking at the confusion on his face. "You will need to sit down for this one, my sweet innocent Birdy - and then you are going to need your friends and all of the love that they can give you. I wish that I felt that it would be best for me to say nothing, but I don't. You see, if I hide what I know, I am positive it will destroy our relationship in the end when it all comes out, and I don't want that. So I have no choice but to hurt you now, and beg for your forgiveness…."

Wes sat down on the desk, and looked right into her moist eyes. "I don't know what is going on, but you need to tell me. You need to know that nothing you could say to me could alter my love for you. Nothing!"

"I do hope so, Birdy… Ok, so I will start at the beginning…" Michelle took a breath, and closed her eyes before she spoke again. "I called my mom and dad earlier to wish them both a Happy Christmas; I had waited until 1pm, as I knew that the two of them would be busy with preparations for lunch at the restaurant. You remember how busy that place always is today… But it turned out that they weren't busy at all. It seems that your mother had rung round the usual people that came every year for their lunch and told them that their bookings had been cancelled, as now that she was no longer involved in the running of the place, the decision had been taken to close on Christmas Day. It was only when dad did his usual courtesy calls yesterday to them that he found out what had happened, and of course, they had all made alternate bookings elsewhere. It has cost them so much money as half of what they have in stock will go to waste now. It made me livid; so angry that she could do such a thing to her own brother on a holiday. So I might have called her up at home and told her exactly what I thought of her…."

"Oh, cuz, that was definitely not the wisest thing that you could have done, today of all days. The alcohol is opened early and continues to flow in liberal quantities for the whole day in that house. I used to hate being around them all when they were all so drunk so much…"

"You're right. I could tell the moment that she opened her mouth that your mother had had a lot to drink… It also loosened her tongue just as much as my anger had loosened mine. I told her that she was hiding a criminal; I told her that I knew exactly what was in the security box, and that I did not owe her or my beloved cousins anything after this; and that I wasn't afraid of going to the police to deal with her once and for all. She just laughed at me, Birdy! She laughed, and told me to go ahead and do my worst. She said it was no problem, because there was something I didn't know, something that you had never found out about and hadn't been written in one of your journals. Something that you would not want the whole world to know about, because it concerned you, Birdy. I said that I did not believe her, that she was making it all up. So she told me… she told me the secret. It was horrible, and all she could do after was laugh at me, and at you. You and your reputation for being so perfect…" She paused and looked at Wes once more. "Oh, Birdy, you are so perfect to me, to all your friends, and that will never change, even if we discovered something so very dark and wrong lurking in your past. It wasn't your fault; you are still the same, and you are still so perfect…"

"Ok, you have me worried. Just tell me what she said…" said Wes, his concern for his cousin overshadowing everything else. "I don't like seeing you so upset…"

"You see, even now, you prove it. More worried for me than anything else… Ok, so you know that your mom came into the lives of the Montgomery family when the first Mrs Montgomery was dying. She always told you that Mr Montgomery took her as a source of comfort in the aftermath; that was why he married her. But he was not the only one she was offering comfort to… You always told me that Bertie hated your mom, and that Randy was indifferent to her existence. He wasn't always…. Ok, so here goes; this is what she said, and please don't hate me for being the one to break this to you. Your dad, Randall Senior - he isn't your father. They had all the necessary DNA tests done when you were born, and the results, the proof, is in the security box. The proof that Randall Senior isn't your biological father; the proof that in fact your father is actually your 'brother', his son, Randy."

Michelle looked up at Wes having said those words, and could not read anything from his face. He was just sitting there on the edge of her desk, in silence, staring blankly at the wall in front of him. Then he started to shake his head. "No, she is making it up! Randy hates her with a passion - there is no way whatsoever! On top of which, he would only have been thirteen at the time that I was conceived."

"I thought the same, but she was quite definite on it, and it occurred to me that he might hate her because she married his father and left him… From what she told me, he had been crying, and she went to hug him, and one thing lead to another. It was consensual from either side. When Randall Senior found out, his initial reaction was that he should call the police and have her arrested - but then your mom informed him that she was pregnant with you, and pointed out the other drawbacks. After all, did he want the Montgomery family name dragged through the mud? Did he want all the world to know that his eldest son had managed to impregnate his mother's former nurse? The scandal would have been immense; the arrest of said nurse for sex with a minor would be insignificant compared to the stigma that would follow Randy for the rest of his life. He would have that hanging over him at prep school and college, and what Ivy League school would ever accept him with that all over his transcripts? So she offered him a solution, and he felt obligated to take it for the sake of his son and the family name…"

"I doubt he thought about his unborn grandchild at the time though," said Wes in such a tiny voice that Michelle barely heard him at all. He suddenly got up from the desk, and managed only a few steps before he slumped down in the corner of the room. His wings were pulled back in, and as he sat, he pulled his legs in close to his body, as if to make himself as small as possible. "It does explain a few things; why my 'dad' could barely look at me; it might even explain why Randy seemed to resent my very existence - actually, does he even know?"

"I don't know; she never said, but it wouldn't take a genius to connect the dots and realise."

"Randy is no genius, but yeah, he probably does know. Bertie on the other hand…"

"I doubt he knows; I mean I doubt your mother would have told him, or his father."

"But Randy might have done; he might have boasted about it. My… _father_ was always such a show off; always had to be the centre of attention. How better to impress your alpha status to your little brother than to boast of having sex with an older woman… I hate him! I hate him! I want to make him suffer as he made me suffer…!"

Michelle just nodded, and then to her absolute horror, she saw Wes start to cry, his face red and full of anger, his fists clenched into balls. "I'm so sorry Birdy. I wish that I hadn't pushed her…"

"No, you probably shouldn't have, but this isn't your fault. She is the one to blame; her and Randy! I need them and my so called dad to pay for this - but not Bertie. I want to see the precious Montgomery name dragged through the mud, but we have to protect the innocent party. He doesn't know, I'm certain of it. He would probably have felt sorry for me if he had known. He could be so kind to me, when it was just the two of us, when Randy wasn't pulling his strings. My uncle could be so kind to me…." The use of that word sent Wes over the edge, and he started to sob. His whole world had been turned upside down in a few moments, with a few words. All he had ever known and trusted in was shown to be a lie. Michelle could only stand in horror and watch as he buried his head in his knees as his whole body shook. Then she watched as his wings reappeared, and covered him over, protecting him from a world that had just become suffused with pain.

It was not long after that that the door to the diner opened and the wedding party began to spill in. Michelle had no option other than to leave Wes on his own, and indeed he requested that she did. He wanted to be left alone as the full enormity of his situation grew on him. A part of him considered doing what Blaine had done on the night before he had died; fleeing the scene to go back to the relative comfort and safety of heaven, and hide from the world in the seclusion of his little apartment. The truth was that he no longer knew who he was; his mom was the same, but all the rest was upside down. He had no brothers now, at least not yet. He would not now have siblings until another woman was stupid enough to entangle herself with Randall Montgomery Junior. He was still sure of his boys; his friends. They were the same and they would never change; but he did not know where to begin to tell this story to any of them, even Thad. They would be sympathetic, but that would be a bad thing. He also knew that they would be horrified, and would try to take revenge on his behalf, and that was not possible without risking their own futures. He was still thinking about what to do for the best when he heard the office door open, and he knew instinctively who it was.

He did not need to look up as he heard the door being locked, and then he sensed them sitting down by his side. He felt an arm suddenly wrap itself round his shoulders and he was pulled to one side, so that his head no longer rested on his knees, but against their chest. He could feel at once their warmth; smell their distinctive scent, and feel the warmth that was pouring out of them. "Don't cry, Wessie. Michelle said that you were upset, but I don't ever remember seeing you this upset, my love," whispered Thad. "You don't have to tell me what's wrong, but I need you to know that I will always be here for you and always love you, whatever happens."

"I know my little one. I know you so well, but the truth is, I don't know who I am anymore…." Wes looked up and saw the confusion that statement had left on Thad's face. "I will tell you everything, because we should never have secrets, you and I, but you must promise me that you will not tell the others. You must also promise me that you won't go and do anything rash after I have finished, not today or ever. Finally, once I am finished, we will leave here and go and join the party, and try and forget that today has ever happened…"

Thad nodded, and then sat and gave Wes his full attention. By the end of the tale, Thad had cried both from sorrow and anger; he had to stop himself from leaping up and catching the next train to Boston, only his promise to Wes staying his hand. "I wish so much that we could make them pay for this, Wessie. Not your brot… uncle, but the other three…"

"Yes, Bertie does not deserve to suffer - do you know, in the year that Randy was away at Harvard, and it was just the two of us around the house, he was nice to me almost all of the time. I was still his often annoying kid brother, but he did make time to play games with me, and he was actually coming round to liking me… Then he went off to college, and Randy had control over him again, and we went back to square one. I would love to sit and watch from heaven as all of this came out; as the world around them implodes, but I can't do anything - and neither can you. They will get what they so richly deserve, in time."

"What about you though, my love? You deserved so much better!"

Wes sighed, and smiled wanly. "When you think about it, I did get it. I had substitute parents firstly in the form of David's mom, and then the Carmichaels; I had brothers in the form of all of you boys. The Warblers are my family. I have all the love I could ever need from you guys. I was lucky in that respect… Anyway, like I said, let's get back to them and join the party! No sad faces. Let's go and toast the fact that Sebastian has now well and truly grown up!"

Whilst the two of them had been locked away in the office, the diner had filled up with all of the guests from the Rainbow Room. The sudden influx of people had made an impact on the two staff on duty; they had looked absolutely horrified at the number of people that had just walked in. As was usual, the partners and their friends had stepped behind the counter and started to sort out drinks for everyone. Ethan and Flint took their customary spot at the coffee machine, whilst Jeff and Sam sorted out soft drinks for those that wanted them. Elliott had offered to help, but he had been shooed away, as they all knew he had two other things on his mind - Beats and Josh.

His little brother was now to be a permanent fixture in his home, and that would mean that more than a few practical changes had to be made. He would need to get him a decent bed to sleep in; clear out some closet space for his clothes, and indeed, get him more as he only had the bare minimum with him. Then there was the whole question of his education to consider; he was in his senior year, and Elliott was determined he was going to finish it. The question was, where? Elliott knew nothing about the local schools in Manhattan, and in an ideal world, he would rather Josh finish his last year at his current school. The bus journey wasn't that long, and by staying there, he would have his friends, his familiar teachers, and most importantly of all, Scott. He would have to contact the school, and see if anything could be done to keep his parents away from the place. He still had a number for the Principal that had been in charge when he had attended it; he would need to check with Josh, but he was pretty sure she was still there.

All that could wait for tomorrow, he realised. Today was all about the celebration of love, and he could appreciate that sentiment more than most right now. Beats had only a few hours ago 'come out' to all of his friends, and told everyone that they were an item. He had never felt happier, and Josh had provided a distraction that had kept the probing question from the others to a minimum. He turned to look at Beats, deep in conversation with his little brother, and he smiled. It seemed that it wasn't just him that got on well with Beats… 'I really am in love with him!' he suddenly thought. 'I never imagined that I could ever fall so much in love, but it has happened. I am head over heels for him…' He smiled even more broadly as Beats caught his eye, and answered his smile with a big grin of his own.

Across at the counter, Flint nudged Ethan as he saw them exchanging smiles, and he was rewarded with a grin of his own. "I know why he was so keen to get that downstairs bedroom now - and I am guessing that you knew all about this then too?" Ethan said quietly. "I would never have guessed about this in a million years, but if he is happy, then I am happy for him; we all are. Admittedly, this does leave me in the position of being the only one in that apartment that is single; in fact, I am almost the only Warbler that is still single."

"Not for long, I am sure," replied Flint, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I've seen the way that all those girls look at you when we walk around campus. You should ask one of them out; I am sure that Beats and I can arrange to be absent if necessary…"

"We will see about that, Flint, but thanks for the offer. I don't know, maybe it doesn't bother me that much. Maybe I am just as happy watching all my gay friends getting married and all of my straight ones coupling up. I am still young; there is plenty of time for romance to head my way yet…."

Flint nodded, and began to fix another cappuccino. He wished that he could wholly believe what Ethan had just said to him. He had seen the way that he had been looking at Drew and Lucy ever since the two of them had arrived, and he saw several things there. Whether there was more regret or resentment he would probably never know, but he knew one thing for sure. When Ethan had come home, and Drew had not, it was not just the parting of two friends. It was tantamount to a break-up for both of them. Drew had moved on with Lucy, who now occupied a lot of his time, and for Ethan that had to be hard; at every previous reunion, the two of them had been thick as thieves, but now they had spoken, but only with Lucy present. He wondered if he could possibly arrange for the girls to occupy Lucy for a while, so that Ethan and Drew could have a bit of bro time… The coffee made, he passed it to his friend, who smiled. Flint could see in his eyes though a bit of pain, and he totally understood it. He knew in his heart that if he lost Beats in the way that Ethan had to some extent lost Drew, he would feel devastated. In all the turbulence of his life, their friendship was one of the few things that had stayed stable, more or less, and he valued it so much. He guessed that for Ethan, his whole world had suddenly been turned upside down, albeit at his own choice, and that had to hurt. He made a promise to himself, there and then, that he would strive to ensure that Ethan felt loved in any way that he could. He owed that much to him, and he was sure that Wes would be the first to approve.


	73. Love and Fast Thinking

**Love and Fast Thinking**

Michelle had left Wes, and after her quick chat to Thad, which had sent him straight into her office, she felt a need to be alone with her thoughts for a few minutes. It had been a horrendous day all in all, and the fact that she had been the one to send her strong cousin tumbling into a nervous wreck broke her heart. She made her way over to one of the booths in the quieter corner of the diner, away from the wedding guests, and just closed her eyes and let her thoughts take over. She knew that what she had done had been the right thing; it had been her only real option once she was confronted with the information that she had been given, but her feelings of guilt remained massive. She had destroyed him, the one man that she had ever respected and admired, excepting her father, with just a few quiet words. If she had not decided to confront her aunt, if she had let it lie… Yet, even as he had crumbled, she had seen the man she cared for there even in his darkest hour; he had expressed his desire, his need to protect the youngest of the men that he had always thought of as his brothers, regardless of all that he had suffered at his hands over the years. She could sit there and curse the rest of his family all she wanted, but that was all Wes would ever allow her to do. And she knew why; he wanted her to come to heaven and be there with him when the time came; he would not let her stray from the path of goodness.

She looked up now, and out into the room, watching all the happy faces as the people Wes thought of as his real family celebrated the wedding of another of their number. Those three pairs of men, still boys almost, were so young, but they had the certainty that the love that they had for each other was strong enough to keep them together for the rest of their lives. She did not doubt that for a moment. She knew Nick and Jeff best of the three couples, and the love they had and expressed for each other every single day inspired her, and made her a little jealous. She knew all the stories, and how much both of them had suffered in life, often for their love, but that had only made them stronger. Then there was Trent and Rory, who had seen each other one afternoon in the auditorium of a high school in Ohio, and had known there and then that they wanted to get to know each other better. It had taken time and a tragedy for that to come about, but once it had, they had been inseparable. As for the last two, whose wedding they now celebrated, they had seen each other at their highest and lowest points, and now they had been united in a love which had built slowly, but now was so strong that it seemed it could conquer anything. In the process, both of them had changed from the person they had been when they first met, but that had been for the better.

"Excuse me, would you mind if I sat here for a moment?" Michelle was brought back to reality abruptly, and realised with a start that she had been daydreaming so much that she had failed to notice the young man that was now standing right in front of her, holding a cup of coffee in one hand, and a plate with two of Nick's finest mincemeat pies in the other. "I'm sorry if I startled you then. I am guessing that you might be Michelle, Wes Montgomery's cousin; I am Oliver Harwood, Thad's brother. He seems to have vanished into thin air, and as I can barely hold a tune, unlike him, and there seems to be a lot of singing going on, I thought it would be for the best for me to find a quiet spot to hide in until he comes back."

Michelle smiled, and now that she looked more closely, she could see certain small features through which Oliver resembled his brother. He had the same kind and sincere face for a start, though she realised that despite the fact he was the elder, his face was less lined than that of his little brother. "Yes, I'm Michelle. It's nice to meet you, although I have to admit that I always had the impression that Thad was an only child; he never seems to talk about his family."

"It's a long story which I won't bore you with, but I am basically the only one of his siblings that talk to him, and as for mom and dad… When Thad refused to go into medicine like the rest of us, not buckling under the pressure as I did, they pretty much cut him off, and expected the rest of us to do the same. I just wish that I had been blessed with his courage and strength. Don't get me wrong; being a doctor is very rewarding, and it does give me satisfaction, but there was always a big part of me that dreamed of being a pilot…"

Michelle found herself laughing, and not just out of politeness. There was something about the man in front of her that had made her sit up and take notice in a way that no other man had ever been able to before. She was not at all disconcerted by the feeling either, and that was a shock to her system. It had been part of her defence mechanism ever since her aunt had tried to force her and Wes together to distrust most men that she did not know, but for some reason, this was different. She motioned to him to sit down finally, and he did, taking a seat across the booth from her. His eyes were the first thing that caught her attention as his face now was on the same level as hers; they were identical to Thad's and they seemed to be drawing her in… "So, you're a doctor then?"

"Yes, for my sins. It is a Harwood family tradition for as long back as can be recalled, and only Thad has managed to escape. Admittedly, I am currently in my parents bad books as I have chosen to come and work here in New York, and not return as my siblings have done to work in the same hospital as them in Ohio. I have made my choice, and they will have to live with it. I am the new resident at the Beth Israel Hospital's E.D. My folk's think that I am on duty there right now, or I would have been forced to head home and watch as my father carved the turkey with his usual surgical precision; I think that if he could get away with using a scalpel, he would. That is where I thought I would be until I got a phone call from Thad's friend David. He called me up, and after some small talk, he came out with it; he told me how much Thad missed out on by being alone for the holidays, and I realised at once that he was right. Thad knew I was taking a new job, but he thought I wasn't starting for a few more months. The look on his face when I turned up… Anyway, I told a lie to my parents, and even got my new colleagues to lie for me to avoid getting a call from them full of the usual medical jargon. My family life is like living in a constant medical drama on TV - although less _Gray's Anatomy,_ more _Nurse Jackie_."

Once more Michelle found herself laughing at his lame joke, and she earned herself a big smile. That was when it hit her. She felt a spark, a warmth; she felt suddenly that she could sit and listen to Oliver Harwood for the rest of the day, and be perfectly happy… "I take it that they have found you somewhere nice to live?" she asked.

"Yeah, they managed to find me a nice little apartment that is just a few blocks from here, as it happens. This will be my local diner; the place that I will call into after a long shift when I can't be bothered to go home and cook. So I will be seeing a lot more of you, and that thought makes me feel happy… Oh, Lord, sorry, that sounds so creepy! It's just…" Oliver stopped, and blushed hard.

"I know. I'm feeling the same. Seeing a lot of you in here, Dr Harwood, will be no problem for me at all. In fact, I will look forward to it," Michelle said in a whisper. The two of them sat in silence for a moment, neither of them daring to speak. Then it fell to Michelle to break the silence between them. "My late cousin believed in love at first sight. Wes always said that the moment that your brother stepped into the Senior Commons at Dalton to audition for the Warblers in his freshman year, he felt his heart beat faster. He knew at that moment, and if it hadn't been for the stupid sense of propriety and his family circumstances, he probably would have stood up, outed himself to the group, and then asked Thad out for a coffee. In a lot of ways, it was such a pity that he didn't; then they would have had years to enjoy each others company as boyfriends, not a few days, most of them in secret."

"I always knew that Thad was gay. It was just another trait that made him stand out from the rest of us Harwoods. I even knew that he had a major crush on someone at Dalton, but he would never tell me who. I used to think that it was David, if I am honest, particularly after they both ended up at UCLA. Then I heard on the grapevine that Wes had died; after all, I went to Dalton too, although I am tone deaf and therefore not Warbler material. The whole school community went into a state of shock when we heard Wes had died; he was so respected by everyone… I called Thad almost as soon as I heard, and when he answered the phone, I knew the truth from the tone of his voice. It took me a while to arrange the time off, but I headed to L.A. in October, and told him that I knew who his crush had been… When I heard the full story, it nearly broke my heart; one night, two hurried kisses, and then it was over…"

"It was; over far too soon. It nearly destroyed him, but he fought back with the support of his friends, and took back control. Wes had placed faith in him by decreeing he should be the new Head Warbler; trust my cousin to have a will at 21! It gave him strength, that trust, and it helped him. He is alone, yes, but by no means lonely."

"The Warblers have been more of a family to him than I have been up until now, but all that is going to change. It's one of the reasons that I chose to take the job here. I know he is in New York all the time, visiting his friends here; now when he comes, I will insist he stays in my spare room."

"It is never too late to make amends. I mean, look at Sebastian and his brother, they are the proof of that. You have done a good thing, Oliver; but you do realise that as well Thad, you have just gained all of his friends, just as I did by taking the job here working for some of them? Oh yes, didn't you know - a whole group of them own this place…. They are good people though, and they have become my friends…"

"I have to admit that I am hoping to make new friends here too. I mean, I know who some of the people here are by name - I've heard enough about Niff over the years to know who they are, and Sebastian too; Trent I recognised at once from his photo on the cover of _GQ_. Many of the rest of them though I had no clue about until we were introduced at the wedding. I have to admit there was one exception - I actually do know Cooper. We attended the same elementary school back in Ohio, though he was a couple of years below me… For some reason though, when I got here and wanted to keep a lowish profile, I did not feel drawn to sit by him and reminisce about our childhood days…"

"You felt drawn to me instead?" said Michelle, and Oliver nodded and smiled again in response. "I'm glad that you were. So, I live near here too, so not only can I see that you eat properly, I can show you around the neighbourhood, if you'd like."

"I'd like that very much, Michelle."

"It would be my pleasure, Dr Harwood."

"Please, call me Ollie. All of my real friend do." Suddenly, on impulse, he stretched out his hand and took hers. She did not move; she couldn't as more sparks of what felt like electricity coursed through her. She said nothing, just watched as his eyes lit up as brightly as her own….

It was at that moment that Thad and Wes emerged from the office, and immediately saw their family members sitting close, and leaning in towards each other. They turned to each other, both of them knowing there and then that what they were witnessing was special; the start of another connection between their two families. "Wessie, I get the feeling that on some as yet unspecified date in the future, you and I will become much more closely related through someone else… I can see the way that the two of them are looking at each other."

"I agree, my little one. Your brother seems to be a good guy, and might just be perfect for my cousin. We cannot influence the two of them in any way, of course, but…"

"…we shouldn't put them off the idea?" said Thad.

"Exactly. Just because we were prevented from marrying, that does not mean there is any reason why they should be."

Across the room from where Oliver and Michelle were feeling the early stirrings of true love, Cooper had now found himself in a deeply horrifying situation. His mom had enjoyed her day, much to his complete delight. She had eschewed all offers of alcohol at the Rainbow Room, much to his pride and delight. She was now settled down with a nice macchiato and a slice of alcohol free Christmas Cake. Her sobriety was such a pleasant surprise to them all; as well as chatting away to Grace, she had spent time talking to Nick and Jeff, telling them how wonderful she felt it was that they had come through all of the worst things one could experience in life, and still had an undying love for each other. She had spoken to Sebastian as well, telling him that she forgave him for the slushie, because if Blaine had been prepared to do so, then so should she. She had also talked to Burt and Carole at length; both of them were so glad to see that now she was free from the scourge of alcohol, Pam was an articulate, sensitive, loving mother to her eldest son. Yes, it had all been going so well, until about five minutes ago. It was then that having collected a coffee from Flint, and the cake she had walked to a seat; not the one next to Cooper, but the one next to François, who was momentarily on his own as Nick and Jeff were on stage singing. At first, Cooper had frozen in his seat, but then he knew what he needed to do, and swiftly got up and headed over to join them. Grace decided it would be a good time to go and powder her nose. Halfway over, he was accosted by Sebastian, who pointed out to him that it was for reasons like this that theatres appointed understudies to the key roles, and then he too was gone, grabbing Luke and Jean-Marc and heading to the farthest corner of the room. There was nothing else he could do but go and sit down on the other side of the startled François, and pray….

Pam had been looking at François closely for a while, and at Cooper too since he had arrived, but had not spoken. Now she broke her silence. "I have been watching you closely for most of today, young man, and I have a question that I need to ask you. I need you to answer with complete honesty; do not worry at all about sparing my feelings when you do. Have you been to New York before, and more specifically, were you here this summer?" Cooper realised as she finished that the room had fallen very silent. Nick and Jeff had left the stage, and were standing alongside Mike and Sam near the door, all of them very pale.

"Yes, madame. I was here. I came to visit Sebastian. He is an old friend, and whilst I was here I attended the wedding of Mr Nixon. We had met first last year, when he and his husband came to Paris with Sebastian, Dave, Nick and Jeff," François replied with no hesitation.

There was a moment of silence, as Pam nodded, and the most of the rest of the room waited with baited breath. "It was you, wasn't it?" At her words, Cooper felt the colour drain from his face; he could see François was frozen in fear; could hear a whimper from one of the listeners. "It was you that my soon to be ex-husband attacked in Times Square, because he got it into his head that you were actually my late son, Blaine. Don't reply, because I know that it had to have been. I would like to apologise on his behalf, but I can't, as that would involve him thinking that he had actually done something wrong that day. You do look like my son, just a little, apart from the skin tone, and your hair…"

"Yes, it was me, madame. But there is no need to apologise, it was nothing," François said with relief, glad that was all he was being accused of. At his side, Cooper also breathed a small sigh of relief. Then he realised his mother was staring at him, and it meant only one thing; they were not out of the woods yet…

"What I do not understand then is why you were not staying with Sebastian whilst you were here…? I mean, you told the authorities that you were staying with Mike Chang, who I know now is the very charming roommate of Nick and Jeff; but why would you not say you were staying with them, two people you had actually met? Why say you were a guest of their roommate?"

"Mom, please," said Cooper, "this is a wedding reception, not twenty questions!"

"I would also like to know why you obviously lied to me earlier, son. You told me you had never met François before, but if he is the boy your father attacked, then you met him in the aftermath - I saw the story in the newspapers…"

"Ok, mom, I admit I lied to you. I guess the best thing to do is to come clean with you." François looked startled at those words, and began to judge how quickly he could make his exit if need be. Grace, who had been approaching from behind, heard those words and decided she would go and talk to someone, anyone, just to get out of the firing line. "When dad contacted me and announced that you were coming to stay, I already knew that François was coming, and he was going to be staying with Sebastian. The visit was all planned out and booked, and suddenly dad decides that he is going to come and try to spoil my big moment - and let us be honest mom, that was his sole motivation for coming to see me. I knew that he would be outraged when he found out that I was renting out part of my house to Sebastian, the boy that tried to blind his son, so I couldn't possibly let him find that out, now could I?"

"I do actually recall you telling him under no circumstances not to annoy your tenant, but that didn't stop him, did it?"

"The moment I stepped out of the door to go to work, he was down there. I knew he would behave like that, and so how could I possibly allow poor François to be embroiled in that? So I went to Sebastian, and explained, and he was so understanding about it. It helps that his father is a lot like dad. So he contacted Niff, and they had no problem in letting François stay with them, as long as he didn't mind sharing a room with Mike…"

"Ah, now I see. He was staying with Mike Chang quite literally!"

"Yes. Now on the day that dad attacked him, he was with the wonderful Santana Lopez. Now she can think on her feet, and she knew the back story. She knew to tell him that he could not mention Nick's name, as Mr Duval is a member of that same awful rifle club as dad. The last thing we wanted to do was to drag Nick's estranged father into the mix; it would have made it worse for everyone."

"I can understand then why he kept their names out. So in the aftermath, when everyone thought that you were being so charitable in letting him come and stay…"

"I admit that all I was doing was letting him come back to where he should have been staying in the first place. It was an opportunity for good publicity for myself and the show. I know I shouldn't have done it, but by doing so, I kept a lot of names that dad might have recognised out of the media."

Pam sat in silence, letting the finer details of what she had just been told sink in. It could all be a tissue of lies; it could be that, as she suspected, the young Frenchman had been running riot in Cooper's house, dressed in a Dalton uniform with a head full of raspberry scented gel. Even if it was true, though, she knew that it would be in nobody's interest to dredge it all up now. It had given her the shock that she needed to chose a sober path, and free herself from Jonathan. It had scared him rigid, not that he would ever admit it… She guessed that the visit had been planned, but she suspected that it had been planned after their own as announced. As plans went, it had been a very good one…

"Well, Cooper, thank you for your honesty, eventually," she said, then turned back to François. "I am so sorry that my husband put you to such inconvenience. I hope that the whole affair did not ruin your visit to New York."

"No, madame, it still went well. It was so good to catch up with all the people that I knew, and to make the acquaintance of the others. The whole affair with Monsieur Anderson just added a little bit of adventure to the entire trip. I am just glad that Santana was there to assist me."

"Yes, indeed. She sounds like a remarkable young lady. Now I am going to go and powder my nose, then I will have a quick word with the grooms…" She got up, and walked off in the direction of the restrooms.

The moment she was out of sight, Cooper was up on his feet and hurtling over to where Sebastian and Dave were standing, to ensure that they knew his version of the story he had just spun, leaving François on his own and able to breathe again. Grace appeared at his side moments later. "Cooper is a wonderful storyteller; he had me convinced! He will be back to tell you it all in detail once he has told the grooms, and then probably Nick, Jeff, Mike and Santana. I don't think that it will really matter in any case. She knows what really happened - or at least suspects the truth. I get the feeling that she doesn't care that much about it now. After all, it was the push she needed to get her life back on track from what you have told me…." Grace sat down by François, and realised he was spot on. The haunting had been no bad thing for Pam after all…


	74. Honesty, Dates and Confessions

**Honesty, Dates and Confessions**

Away from the refined setting of the Rainbow Room, the reception had quickly gone from a very formal wedding reception into more of a full scale Christmas party. From somewhere a box full of paper hats had been produced, and had been handed into the care of young Peter. This was a clever move, as he went from person to person and persuaded even the most cynical of people to wear one, using an expression which was hauntingly like the one that Kurt had used to term Blaine's puppy dog stare. There was cake for everyone, along with sandwiches for anyone that felt hungry. Jeff had found time to take Nick to one side and tell him how he had caught Beats and Elliott together in the aftermath of Sebastian and Dave's bachelor party, and Nick had immediately understood why his husband had maintained his silence. No secrets meant that they could not have any of their own, except maybe about gifts on special events; it did not mean that they had to share any entrusted to them by others.

"He looks so happy!" Jeff whispered in Nick's ear, and he could only agree as he glanced across at where the two of them were sitting, with Josh between them, laughing at some joke or other.

"It's just become more complicated for them though," replied Nick. "The arrival of Josh will have an impact on both of them, although not necessarily a bad one. I can sympathise with how that poor boy feels, but at least he wasn't hurt physically during the process of rejection…" Jeff nodded sadly, knowing that Nick had gone through something so similar himself when he had admitted the truth, not so very long ago. That was all in the past now; like Josh, they had to look to the future. They all did.

Sebastian and Dave meanwhile had been making their way around the diner, seeing that everyone was happy, and taking all the congratulations in person. When they reached the table where Burt and Carole sat with Carmen Tibideaux and the Carmichaels, who were fixtures at every Warbler wedding it seemed, they sat for a few moments to chat. All of those around the table expressed their pleasure that the two of them had made time for this ceremony - as Principal Carmichael put it, "What you did in Vegas was not fitting for either of you - two talented young men who deserve to celebrate their love in the company of their friends."

Mrs Carmichael had nodded in agreement, and then wished them every happiness, finishing by saying "The important thing to remember for a happy marriage is that you must not have secrets; to be honest at all times, even if you think you might hurt your spouse, is key."

As the whole table agreed, Dave suddenly excused himself, saying that he had to go and talk to his dad. Sebastian was left to move on alone to the table where Artie and Kitty sat, although they were soon joined by Puck and Quinn. As they talked, Sebastian noticed that Julian had finally left the side of Isabelle, and was now talking in whispers with Dave and Paul. He was pulled back into the moment by Artie, who was asking him a question concerning his proposed film based on the events in Vegas, namely whether he had any other recollections of events from his stay he wanted to add, so that the script could be as accurate as possible. "None that I can think of off-hand," Sebastian replied, his mind wondering what his husband, father-in-law and brother were discussing.

"Well, given that, we should get together for a read through of my draft script soon. This year if we can…" began Artie, before he was cut short by the voice of Julian as he climbed up onto the stage and took the microphone.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, if I could just have your attention for a moment. Sebastian, could you possibly come over here and join the three of us on the stage please." Sebastian got up, and crossed the room, and with a sinking feeling that he could not explain, climbed up onto the stage to stand by the three most important men in his life. "So, we have a small confession to make to you, the three of us…. Something happened in Vegas that we did not tell you about at the time, little brother. Something happened to you… Dave has pointed out that he feels guilty about not coming clean with you at the time, but that was down to his dad, and me. We persuaded him it was for the best not to say anything. Now, though, he has given us an ultimatum, and so we are going to let you know. Now we are going to give you a choice; we can tell you now, in public, or we can find somewhere more private…"

As someone, probably Santana or Puck laughed, Sebastian turned to his brother, glared at him, and in his most acid voice said, "Jules, you have just told me all of this in front of an audience. All that going someplace more private would achieve is a delay to the inevitable moment they all find out, and a crush around the door to whatever room we used! Let's just treat this like a band aid, and get it over with right now…"

"Ok, so the night before you got married, do you recall what we did?"

"I can recall that night quite clearly. We had spent the day visiting the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam, then we headed back to the hotel and went to see a show."

"Yes… We went to see a hypnotist, didn't we. However, I don't think you remember much about that, do you?"

To his horror, Sebastian suddenly realised that his brother was right. He could remember the rest of the day vividly, but he had a big blank spot in his mind for the actual show… He looked out into the room at the sea of faces, and suddenly began to regret his decision to let them tell him here, and not in private. There was something almost gleeful in the way that some people were looking at him; they had felt that his unplanned marriage by Elvis had been funny, but now there appeared to be something even better to come. There were also a number of faces etched with sympathy; he had expected it off Niff, Trent, Rory and Mike, who knew him well, but to see Santana looking at him in that way, well it was a bit of a shock. Of course, Thad was sitting there with his face buried in his hands, dreading what was coming next, whilst at his side, Wes looked so worried too. "Go on," he said. "Tell me what I did. Let's get the laughter over with."

Julian looked pained, as if he would rather not be doing this. As he opened his mouth to speak, Dave suddenly stepped up, and took over, taking Sebastian's hand as he began. "Sebby, do you recall that when we went into the casino, to place the one bet you wanted to do, the following night, a man called you a chicken, and suddenly a woman…"

"…started to laugh hysterically and screamed Elvis at me repeatedly? Yes, I do. It is funny how you remember all the drunken lunatics."

"She wasn't a lunatic… Sebby, the hypnotist got you up on the stage; he hypnotised you. Before that, you had told him you were a big Elvis fan - so he made it so that every time someone said Elvis, you would start to cluck like a chicken…"

Sebastian just stared at Dave in horror as out in the diner, the first people began to giggle as they imagined it. "Every time…"

"Every time," said Julian. "That was why when you came down to breakfast the next day, I mentioned Elvis, just to check that it had worn off. We really should have told you there and then; Dave wanted to, but his dad and I persuaded him it was best not to. I am sorry, little bro; we should have told you. We left Dave feeling guilty about keeping silent, and that wasn't right."

"It's ok. I kind of understand why you didn't. let's face it, it could have been a lot worse. It might not have worn off. Just imagine the wedding video then - me clucking like a chicken half the time…" To everyone's surprise, Sebastian promptly did his best chicken impression, which made them all laugh. "Yeah, that would have been bad. Ok, so maybe you should have said, or at least mentioned it sooner, but I forgive you all. As I recall, going to see the hypnotist was my idea. Anyway, my humiliation is over! Artie, you may add that to your script, but under no circumstances are you to attempt to hack, or have anyone else attempt to hack, the hotel CCTV for that night. So, back to the party!"

They all left the stage, and the recorded music started up again. The first song was one that no one recognised, and then they heard the voice and knew the artist. When the words began, it wasn't long until the whole room was either staring in disbelief, or laughing out loud. Sebastian just glared at Kurt and Blaine, who had been closest to the music system, and they just looked back at him innocently. They just hadn't been able to resist slipping _The Jackson 5_ and their song _How Funky is Your Chicken_ into the mix. Then he felt Dave take his arm, and he was being steered through the door into the back, and into Michelle's empty office. Julian had come with them, but stayed outside the door, which Dave closed behind them.

"Sit down, Sebby. There is more. I might have edited out one little fact that I don't think that you would want the world to know. You might have been doing the whole chicken thing in just your boxers… And Julian might also have taken a video of it on his phone."

Sebastian went pale, and Dave braced himself for the punch he knew he deserved. After all, he knew how sensitive Sebastian was about the scars on his back, and he had just informed him that he had exposed them to the audience in a hotel in Vegas. He was kind of surprised therefore when Sebastian pulled him in for a deep kiss instead. After it was over, he said, "I knew that there was a big reason why I loved you Dave, and now I know what it is. You knew to step in and take over from Jules, because you knew what had to be edited out. If he had told them….well I would never have lived that one down! So, no more hypnotists, ever?"

"Agreed. I should have stopped it anyway. The minute he got you to start undressing, I should have stopped it."

"Because of my scars? That's a nice thought, but I can't hide them forever. What Hunter did to me changed my life, but for the better. It made me show my emotions more, bonded me to Niff, made me the guy you fell in love with and married. In any case, I need to accept that I might have to be shirtless for a part, so I need to accept them. I will never see those people in Vegas again, so it doesn't matter. As long as I have you, nothing can harm me…"

There was a loud "Awww!" through the door, and Sebastian walked over to it and wrenched it open. "Right, as for you, brother dear, you will delete that video from your phone, but only once I have seen it in private! After all, it sounds like I made a complete fool of myself, and it will serve as a warning!"

"I have to agree that you did, pretty much. In this case though, a lot of what happened in…" Julian was cut off as Sebastian put his hand over his mouth; he had heard enough of that saying to last several lifetimes…

"Jules, whilst I think that you should take that job in New Jersey, I have one caveat. You will not live anywhere near Atlantic City, ok! I want you to move here so that I have more chance of catching you doing something ridiculous and recording it for posterity on my cellphone. You are still my brother, regardless of what you have done, and I still love you. Also, I think that the lovely Ms Wright might like that idea too, given the way that she keeps looking at you. So go on, go back and turn the full Smythe charm offensive on her. Whilst you are at it, maybe you should introduce her properly to Peter."

They headed back out into the diner; as they stepped out of the staff area, they all saw Isabelle staring straight at them, before she noticed that they had and turned away blushing. "I think you might be right, Bazzy. I will definitely be taking that job!" With that, he walked away to collect his son.

"Ah, love can still bloom, even at Julian's age," said Sebastian, loud enough so that he could hear him.

Beside him, Dave chortled as Julian made a rude gesture at his brother behind his back, and then added the words, "Not just for him, either. It looks like Michelle and Thad's brother have hit it off too…"

Dave was not the only person in the room that had noticed that Michelle and Oliver had been talking animatedly to each other for quite some time. Elliott had noticed, and so when one of the duty staff needed to talk to her, he stepped up to his deputy manager role and dealt with the issue instead. He had found his love and happiness and now it was about time that his boss found some for herself. His intervention was acknowledged with a quiet thank you from Wes, as he sat with Thad, David and Mercedes.

Santana had also noticed and she had smiled broadly. Oliver Harwood was quite an attractive young man, and a doctor to boot. She just hoped that any future romance that might blossom between them would not interrupt the smooth running of the Spotlight, which had gone from strength to strength under the watchful eye and steady leadership of Michelle. She did not know of course that he was going to be based in New York for some time. She pulled Brittany in closer to her, relaxed in the company of their friends, but still waiting for a few more days to finally reveal that she had set a wedding date and chosen a venue for their nuptials. She knew that Brittany would agree wholeheartedly with her choice; she just hoped that it would be deemed as satisfactory to all the other potential critics.

The final person to notice the closeness of the two was Mike, sat between Tina and Matt, whose team Dave would be playing against the following day. To Mike, it was as if his old friend had never been away. They had both already made a promise to keep in much closer contact now that they knew where the other was, and Matt had even extended an invitation to Mike to come down to Texas and visit, which he had accepted. The sight of a smiling Michelle filled Mike's heart with joy. He knew that the death of her beloved cousin had been such a wrench in her life; that his family still plagued her for her actions to return Wes to where he had been loved the most. If she had now found in the Harwood family a man that would make her happy, then it was the best news. A tie between the families that had been made by Wes and Thad would be brought into fruition if these two got together…

Michelle eventually realise that she and Ollie were being watched closely, and not just by their cousin and brother respectively. It did bother her a little; she also felt that she was neglecting her duties to the diner. Before she could speak though, she heard a voice by her side. "Cuz, don't fret about this place! Elliott has stepped in and taken the reins for a while. It is a good tonic to me to see you looking so happy, especially after the day that I have had. He is one of the good guys - if Thad likes him, then he has to be genuine. If you like him, and I think you do, take a risk and live in the moment! If he asks you out, say yes; better still, you ask him out! You're a modern woman, so make the first move!"

Michelle looked again at Oliver, and saw that he was now staring at her in slight bemusement. "Sorry, I drifted away for a moment. Something suddenly reminded me of Wes… I still miss him, today especially."

"It must be hard to lose somebody that you are so close to; I know that Thad was distraught in the aftermath, and I am guessing that it was just as hard for you."

"We were very close, and to lose him so suddenly…"

"I've been lucky enough so far not to have lost someone close, but I have seen it happen so many times. If you ever just want a sympathetic ear, then I would be only too happy to oblige. I hope that you don't think I am overstepping by saying that…"

"Actually, I would like to get to know you a lot better, if I am being honest. When do you officially start work?"

"The 28th - why do you ask?"

"I am free on the night of the 27th. Would you like to come over for dinner? Sorry, that is a bit forward of me…"

"Not at all. It is refreshing to find a strong woman that knows what she wants and is not afraid to just come out and ask for it. What if, however, I take you out for dinner on the 27th? If it all goes well, and I have a feeling that it will, then we can arrange another night for you to cook me dinner - and vice versa. I'm not that bad a cook myself…."

"That would be very nice, Dr Harwood."

"Now, unless you want me to call you Miss Lau all the time, then you need to start calling me Ollie, like all of my other close friends."

"I think that I could agree to that, Ollie."

"That is all that I can ask, Michelle. Dinner for two on the 27th it is…" As he said the latter, he placed his hand gently over Michelle's at the table, and smiled broadly as she beamed right back. Across the room, Thad watch with delight as his brother, whose lonely life had always been a source of concern for him, began to fall under the spell that only love can bring. He turned to Wes, who had returned to his side and grinned. The relationship that they could see forming right in front of their eyes was making them very happy indeed…

As could well have been expected, the stage at the diner was now being occupied by one guest after another, taking their turn at the microphone to serenade the not so newlyweds. Mercedes suddenly found herself being dragged out of her seat by Rachel, who was insistent that she needed to sing a duet with her. David just laughed as she was spirited away, until Thad pointed out that the chances were that they would be the next two dragged up on stage by some over enthusiastic Warbler. That made his expression change to a more serious one, and he was about to ask Thad what they should sing when he stopped, and turned his attention on Wes, who had been sitting quietly at Thad's side. "Ok, I have been trying to ignore it, but I can't any longer. What has happened Wes? And don't even attempt to tell me there is nothing wrong, because I have known you long enough to know by your face and the way that you act that something is stressing you out."

Thad turned to look at Wes, who just sighed, and then said, "I should have known that I couldn't possibly hide anything from you, can I Davie. You were my best friend for so long that you would know all my little tells. There is something, but you have to swear to me, on Mercedes' life, that you will not repeat what I am about to say to anyone, nor will you, as Thad has already promised, do anything rash when you have the information."

"You know that I would never repeat anything that you tell me in confidence Wes…" David replied, and so it was, as Thad kept watch, Wes told his best friend the whole sordid story of the day. In the end, David was left sitting with moist eyes, in stunned silence. "I just can't believe it; all these years they have been lying to you; all these years he had been feted as the favourite son, and all the time…"

"He was my father… All the time, all of them, except Bertie, knew the truth. If I was still alive, then I would be seeking my revenge, and asking you guys for help, but now… It doesn't change me. I am more a product of my upbringing than of them. Dalton, Harvard and your mom, Davie, shaped me; my friends, especially you two, did the rest. I still want them to be exposed, but I don't want Bertie getting hurt in the process."

"That is what I love about you, Wes; even when you find out something so devastating, your first thought is for your…uncle, I guess." Wes nodded at David's words, but said nothing. David felt that his emotions were in turmoil; one minute he just wanted to cry, the next he wanted to head to Boston and hurt all of lying members of Wes' family. He couldn't do the latter, though; he had made a promise, and he was only too aware of what the long term consequences would be of such an action…

Then Mercedes was back, and Thad and David did indeed find themselves propelled in the direction of the stage to sing something. As they were virtually frogmarched, they quickly discussed what they could sing. In the end, they climbed up on the stage and sang a tune that was familiar to everyone in the room; a song that was best known as the theme tune to the eponymous TV show _Friends_. As they sang, they both directed their eyes right to the spot where Wes was still sitting; as their fellow Warblers realised that, they all joined in on the chorus, all of them fully aware of the meaning in those phrases. They were all there for each other, all the time; bonded by the ties built in a school in Ohio. If Mercedes noticed the tears in Wes' eyes, she said nothing. True, her hand might just have ended up on top of his, but she did not need or even want to know what was causing him such upset; what had happened that his two best friends had chosen to sing that song to him. All she wanted him to know was that she was there too.

Michelle had also noticed the way that her cousin was behaving, and she felt guilty about it. If she had not provoked her aunt when she was drunk, then she would never have confessed the whole thing. Then she would not have felt obligated to tell Wes… She suddenly realised that his eyes were upon her, and as she looked up, he smiled at her. She could almost hear his voice in her ears - 'It isn't your fault. I don't blame you. I would have wanted to know!' She could not, however, erase from her memory the image of Wes curled up in the corner of her office, in tears from the shock and from the realisation that the people he should have been able to trust the most had betrayed him. She knew that he was insistent that no-one took direct revenge on his behalf, but as the night had gone on, she had come to the conclusion that there might be an indirect way to do it. The only problem was that it would result in the one person that Wes did not want being hurt getting hurt. Still, if somehow Bertie got the details of the safe deposit box and was told to check it out, then it would not be her fault. She doubted that Wes would see it that way, or approve, but she was more or less decided on it as a course of action. It was time that the Montgomery's were made to pay, once and for all.

Eventually, as the time moved closer to midnight, the party did start to wind down. On this occasion, the two grooms were amongst the first to leave, after Sebastian reminded Dave that if this was a rerun of their wedding, then tonight was obviously a rerun of their wedding night. They left to the pleasurable shouts and taunts of their friends, including the inevitable "Wanky!" from Santana. After they had left, the party came to a swift end. The partners turned their hands to work, helping to clear the tables and tidy up in the kitchen; Cooper placed an arm around Julian as Grace and Pam looked after Peter, and asked if he was glad to be staying upstairs with him now. He had to agree that he was, particularly as he did not want to have to explain to Peter at such a young age what the reason was behind the noises coming from his uncle's bedroom. Not that he would have heard that much in any case; by the time that they went to leave, Peter was sound asleep, exhausted from his busy day. Julian carried him out to the waiting cab, knowing exactly how his son felt. On a positive note, though, he did have the phone number of an attractive woman in his pocket…

Eventually the diner returned to being almost empty, with just a skeleton staff and a handful of customers grateful that somewhere was open. As for the guests, most of them, on arriving home or their accommodation for the night, headed straight for bed too. Jeff wanted to, but he had one more chore to do before he could. As they had walked into the living room, the residents of the small loft had been confronted by Caleb, who emerged from underneath the Christmas tree with a disapproving look which seemed to say 'Where have you been until this time?' He followed Jeff into the kitchen and miaowed pointedly at his empty dish. Jeff heated a little milk, just to take the chill off it, then poured it into Caleb's bowl, where it was gratefully received. This duty done, Jeff made his way back through the living room, passing Ethan, who was bedding down on the couch, to go and snuggle with his husband in their bed. He could recall on this their third Christmas as a couple the sadness that had tinged their first, spent in Lima with Burt and Carole; and of course, the bittersweet one last year, when they had sung on a real Broadway stage. 'Next year,' Jeff thought as he spooned his husband, 'I want a quiet Christmas. Just me, Nick and Caleb.' As his eyes began to close, he knew in his heart that the odds of that were not in his favour.


	75. The Affairs of Brothers

**The Affairs of Brothers.**

The day after Christmas saw a return to some degree of normality. They had work to go to, and coursework to complete. Dave and Sebastian had agreed to spend the day being indulgent uncles to young Peter, at least until Dave had to go and start preparing for his big game. They spent the first half of the day doing all the things that Peter wanted to do in the big city, and then, once Dave had to leave, Sebastian took his nephew to see the big Disney show on Broadway, _Aladdin_ , much to the young boy's great excitement - and to Sebastian's, although he would strenuously deny it when asked. After that, and some dinner, they would be going to watch Uncle Dave compete in his match. Julian had initially had no fixed plans for the day, but he had been called up early on by Isabelle, and he had agreed to go to lunch with her, not wishing to decline such a beautiful lady. He would spend the afternoon walking round galleries with her, before she agreed, to his surprise, to accompany him to Dave's match. There she sat between Julian and Peter, who made her day when he asked if he could call her Auntie Isabelle. On his nephew's other side, Sebastian smiled, as he saw just how happy his brother had become. He saw how he looked at Isabelle, and just how well she interacted with Peter. If it all worked out, and he was the first to admit it was a big if, then he had to be honest and admit that she would be a very satisfactory sister-in-law. He might not be quite as fashion forward as Kurt had been, but he did like to keep abreast of the trends, and he would have an inside track as to what was coming up.

The match itself was thrilling, and came to a close as a tie, which suited everyone that knew Dave and Matt well. They were the first to shake each others hands after the game, attracting the attention of the TV cameras. This lead to an impromptu interview with them both, where they talked about their shared past at McKinley; about how they had met up again by chance that summer; and about how they were still rivals, but only between the start and end of a game. Then Dave announced quite happily that they had spent the previous day together, when Matt had been a guest at his wedding to his boyfriend. Matt's face was a picture at this, as he waited for the reporter to make a snide or nasty remark; instead, Dave was asked if his new husband had been at the game. He promptly pointed out Sebastian, who was standing close by - and ten minutes later, the two of them were sitting side by side in the locker room, being interviewed together. As he took a shower in his own locker room next door, Matt was left to ponder the contrasts that could exist in one country. If such a statement had been made by a player back in Texas, then the reaction there would not have been of pride, but horror and disgust. He knew Dave was volunteering to help gay sportsmen and women as well; maybe it was time for him to get involved there too…

For Thad, it was a day that he could spend catching up properly with his older brother. There had been other distractions and other people around them for the last two days, but now they had a chance to be alone together in person for the first time really since Ollie had left home to head to medical school. They talked on the phone and on Skype regularly enough, but it wasn't the same. Thad navigated his way through the streets of downtown New York, and soon found the apartment that the hospital had rented on his brother's behalf. He was no sooner through the front door than he was being pulled into a tight hug, which lasted for far longer than it would have done had there been other people present. Oliver made coffee, and brought out a box of store bought Christmas cookies, and the two of them sat down to begin a long catch up. They talked generalities at first, but in the end, Ollie broached the topic that it had been in his mind to talk to his brother about since the events of last August…

"So, Thad, be honest with me. How are you really - and by that I mean how are you coping with losing Wes. I know that it still affects you; that you have thrown yourself into your work, both at school and as the Head Warbler, to leave yourself with no time to just think. I know you little brother, and I get that it is your coping system, but it isn't healthy… So, yeah, how are you?"

"You want me to be completely honest…? It hurts, every single day, from the moment I wake up, to the second I fall asleep. I think about all that I could have had, if only he hadn't died, if only I had been bolder at Dalton, but like you say, only if I let myself get quiet and stop. So I keep busy, and remind myself that he is in a better place; he will be an angel because he was such a good person; and one day, I will be reunited with him, and then it will be for eternity. I know that for certain - don't ask me how I do, but I know."

"If it helps you to think that then…"

"It does, but not in the way that you think. I haven't suddenly become religious; I still regard going to church as a chore, just as we both did when we were kids. I have faith that I have a future with Wes, in the life after this one. I also believe that he watches over me and all of his Warblers. He always did, and I can't see a little thing like death stopping him."

"Ok. Well, I just wanted you to know that I love you and care about you. Unlike the rest of us in our lovely family, you have chosen the path that you wanted to go down, and that has made our parents resent you. I think the reason our other siblings have cut you off is out of jealousy by the way, because you are free, unlike them. They will never admit that, naturally. All I have ever wanted for you is happiness, little bro, and to lose Wes like that, it had to have been so hard…"

Thad knew at once what he had to do; he had to be totally honest with his brother over just how bad it had been last year. He owed him that much; plus there was the fact that Michelle knew, as did all his friends here in New York - and one of them might say something by accident that would hurt his brother so much… "It was. Look, Ollie, I'm going to tell you the truth, because you deserve to know; last year, on the day of Wes' memorial at Dalton, I went prepared with a knife… I was planning to kill myself just as Blaine had done after he lost Kurt… But they worked it out, the Warblers; it was Nick that twigged the little clues I had inadvertently put out, and they saved me. Stopped me in the nick of time… I realise now that it was a stupid, selfish thing to even think about doing. David was so fragile at the time it would have pushed him over the precipice into madness, and it would have destroyed the rest of them. At the time, I didn't care. All I wanted was to be with my Wessie…" He stopped, and to his horror, he became aware that his brother was in floods of tears, silently sobbing his heart out. "Oh, Ollie, don't cry, please. I know it would have hurt you too, but at the time, I was facing a void, and it just seemed…"

Then Thad started to sob too, and in seconds he was being pulled into his brother's arms once more, listening as he whispered "I love you, I love you" over and over into his ear.

Eventually Thad spoke again. "I'm so sorry, Ollie, I wasn't thinking straight, and…"

"I should have been there for you. I should have dropped everything, and come to you, but I didn't. I'm sorry for not being a better…"

"No," said Thad, cutting him off. "Don't you ever think that. You are the best brother to me and always have been, because you always let me be me. I got through it, and I'm still here. I'm ok - and now I have a purpose in life. I'm not going to try anything like that again, not now, not ever. I promise…."

How long the two brothers spent just holding each other close, letting their tears continue to fall unchecked down their faces they would not recall, but in the end they pulled apart, and Ollie suggested that they both freshen up, and then head out and have a beer. For Thad, the idea of going out with his brother for a beer was a completely new concept, but it was one that he was more than happy to entertain. He fired off a quick text to Nick whilst Ollie was washing his face, asking if he knew the name of a good bar, ideally one where they could get food. His reply came swiftly, and that was how the two brothers ended up heading north towards 34th Street, to the Heartland Brewery on the ground level of the Empire State Building. As Thad had surmised, neither of them felt hungry when they arrived, but they both agreed they might do later, so they took a seat next to the windows on Fifth Avenue, across from the bar above which a ball game was showing on a TV Screen. After the first beer, they both ended up ordering a burger. Then they ordered the beer sampling menu, after Thad admitted he knew very little about beer, and Ollie had decreed that such a state of affairs needed to be rectified at once. As they ate, they chatted happily, alternating between watching the game, and looking out at the passers-by.

If by the time they left, Thad had decided that Cornhusker Lager was one of the best things in the world, and both brothers were more than a little drunk, then it was no issue. It was late, so they both jumped in a cab, which took Thad back to his hotel first before it headed downtown, his brother waving at him from the back. As he made his way carefully up to his room, Thad felt as if his heart was starting to heal just a little for the first time in his life. Some of the breaks that life had inflicted on it were healable after all. He went to bed that night content, safe in the knowledge that as he slept, he was being cared for by his own guardian angel, who stood over him with his magnificent white wings marked with red and blue stripes at the tips…

The following night, Thad convened a Warbler meeting of sorts at the Heartland - he had developed a thirst for more lager, and whilst he was still in New York, he would indulge it in the company of his boys. At the same time, his brother made his way the few blocks to Michelle's apartment. She had called and changed their plans, insisting that she cook for him, and he had agreed. He had woken up with a slight headache, even though he had drunk less than his brother. He knew in his heart that he probably should not have let his brother drink as much as he had the night before, but hearing his brother laughing and seeing him smiling more broadly than he had in so long had made him throw his brotherly responsibilities out of the window. He had been fine after breakfast, a shower and some coffee - but then he had started to stress about his date. He had spent hours selecting what he would wear, or so it seemed; he had taken care as he washed and shaved. He had left the house early, and had made his way to the shops, to buy a good bottle of wine, and a box of fine chocolates. He had then on a whim picked up a pot plant - he preferred to give them to people over a bunch of flowers, as with proper care and attention, they would flourish far longer than any bouquet. Now he stood on the threshold outside Michelle's apartment, his hands sweaty and clammy even in the cool evening air. He wanted to get this right; he had not felt quite the way he felt about Michelle for any girl in the past. He needed to get it right… He had a horrible feeling that he would never recover if he didn't…

What he did not know as he stood there was that in the apartment three floors above, Michelle was also in a whirl. She had been at work that morning; had talked to her parents to ask if they had heard from her aunt, and was relieved to hear that they hadn't. She had eventually been sent home early by Santana; she had protested strongly at first, but now she realised it was no bad thing. She had decided after much thought to just prepare a simple Chinese meal, with food that was quick to prepare, tasty and familiar to her; dishes she had made since her childhood. Getting herself ready had taken much longer. She like Oliver, had spent too long choosing the right outfit, then had embarked on a hurried round of cleaning, not that the place really needed it. She had pre-prepared her dessert, and had everything else just ready to be cooked when the bell rang. She answered, and as she waited for him to walk up, she suddenly felt totally unready and flustered. She found herself doubting the state of her apartment; her food; her appearance. Then he was there, stepping inside. The moment that he did, for both of them all nerves came to an end, and the feeling that had drawn them together on Christmas day came back tenfold. Being in each others' company was all that they needed to make the evening perfect.

Michelle accepted the gifts that he had offered with a smile. Without knowing he had managed to buy her favourite brand of chocolates, a wine that would go perfectly with the food she had cooked, and as for the plant - well she was in full agreement with him that it was a pity to buy a bunch of flowers only to watch as they withered and died. She could only smile further when he followed her into the kitchen and his first question was to ask if he could help with anything. She handed him a corkscrew, and as he opened the wine, she began to cook the stir fry dish she had chosen for her main course. He stood and watched in contentment as she worked, the skills and training that she had in the kitchen coming to the fore. Her father had always said that to be a good manager in a business, you had to know every aspect of it, inside and out; if you were working in the catering trade, that meant being able to cook as well as manage front of house.

Ollie saw the advantages of this when he tasted the plate of food that she set in front of him. He had in his short career as a doctor so far eaten far more takeout meals than he cared to recall, due to the lack of time between patients, and Chinese food was his favourite. He had never tasted food as good as that he was eating now though, and he told her so quite happily. That brought the conversation onto food, and Ollie waxed lyrical about the joys of cooking, a passion he entertained as often as he could. His maternal grandmother was of Italian stock, and so pasta had always featured, but served in the traditional way, not just with the generic 'red sauce' that so many restaurants favoured. Michelle wondered quietly to herself what he would make of the now infamous curried chicken lasagne that Nick made… For dessert, she had prepared an apple pie, lightly spiced, just to show that although her Chinese heritage was strong, her American status was every bit as important. She served it with a homemade caramel ice cream, and once more Ollie was in heaven. He turned to her afterwards, and said "That was spectacular! You are a very talented chef… Will you marry me?" Michelle burst out laughing, and he joined in, but for both of them, such a thing didn't seem a bad idea…

Across town, Sebastian and Dave were treating Julian and Peter to dinner too, but theirs was a sadder affair, as it was a marker that they would be returning to the west the following day. They had additional company in the shape of Isabelle; Julian had invited her to join them as Peter wanted to say goodbye to her. "Of course, it has nothing to do with you wanting to see her, does it Jules?" Sebastian had remarked sarcastically when informed of the extra guest. "Well, here is hoping that she likes what is on the menu, at Peter's request - chicken nuggets and pizza." Julian had looked a little horrified at the idea of serving that to an editor from _Vogue_ , and remained so until Isabelle arrived. Sebastian had greeted her warmly, taken her coat, and asked if Bouef Bourguignon was to her taste, or would she prefer to have chicken nuggets and pizza with Peter and Julian. That had made them all laugh, and the ice was well and truly broken.

They had finished the main course, and moved on to dessert when Julian made his announcement. "So, after a long chat with Peter, and a discussion with my boss on the phone today, I am pleased to announce that I will be taking the job in New Jersey. I was unsure how Peter would react, but he told me that it was cool, as I would get a new house, and he could come on vacation to New York, and see more of his Uncles Bazzy and Dave; not to mention his new friend Isabelle. I don't know exactly when it will be, but sooner rather than later. It does also mean that I will have to drive my baby cross-country from Vegas, but that will be a fun road trip. All I need to do now is sort out somewhere to live; close to my work, but with good public transit access to New York."

"I think I could help out there," said Isabelle, who was unable to disguise her smile at the news. "I have contacts in real estate, and I am sure they could recommend somewhere. Jersey is becoming much more on trend, now that the outer boroughs are getting so expensive."

"That would be much appreciated…. Bazzy, stop making that face please, or we will all have to discuss your chicken impression again…"

Sebastian just shook his head as the others laughed. He would never live that one down, and he also knew that he was never going near a hypnotist again, that much was certain - unless it was to volunteer the services of his husband or his brother, but there was no risk of that happening either. He was glad that they had not shared the video with anyone, and he had personally overseen its deletion from Julian's phone. If nothing else, the whole experience had made him realise that he was no longer as hung up about the scars on his back as he used to be. He knew that was one of the reasons why Dave had stepped in to save him being watched by everyone at the diner a few days earlier. It wasn't as if everyone in the room was unaware of their existence after all, having shown them to the world in a courtroom. If there was one thing that did anger him about the whole incident, it was that no-one had tried to prevent him stripping off in front of that audience in Vegas; true, he had been facing front at all times with his back to the wall, but still, someone should have tried. There was no point in being angry now, or harbouring grudges after the fact; he loved Dave, and Julian, most of the time in the latter case, and that was all that mattered.

He looked across the table at his brother, who was still flirting with Isabelle, and smiled. The fact that he was going to be moving to New Jersey soon was the icing on the cake of what had been a pretty good year for him. One that he was overdue for after the last few… Three years ago, he was still in a state of shock at the fact that he had been whipped; he, Nick, Jeff and Trent were all stuck in a fairytale castle of a school, which had fallen under the control of a wicked, evil dictator. Now they were all married, settled into new lives, and above all else, happy. No dark secrets loomed, no dangers were in store. They had lost several good friends on the way, but the future was looking much brighter. As for the budding relationship between Julian and Isabelle, he would support it. His brother deserved to be as happy as he was. All of the faces were just part of his job as a little brother… He was sure they both knew that; he liked her, had done since they had first been introduced at that memorial that had turned out to be something much more special. If she did end up as his sister-in-law, then he would not complain; he might get access to the latest fashions sooner. He might be a student, but that didn't mean that he had to let his standards drop.

The one drawback about the whole thing was that by moving here, Julian moved further away from his son. Sebastian had to admit that he had fallen in love with Peter at their first meeting, and he could see that unlike their own beloved dad, Jules was a natural father. It was just as clear that Peter loved his dad. It actually made Sebastian feel quite broody for a child of his own. He did want that, but it was far too early yet. He and Dave had never really sat down and talked about it, but he knew from Kurt that Dave wanted to have kids too. Maybe when they were about the same age as Julian was now, settled in their careers, they could seek out a surrogate, or even adopt. He was not opposed to that latter idea in the least - give a kid a chance to shine, a new hope, a better life… That was a subject for later, not tonight, although he could not help but wonder if Julian ever craved for another child of his own…

Sebastian offered to tuck his nephew into bed that night, knowing that if he and Dave did it, then Julian would have a little alone time with Isabelle. He watched in silence as Dave took charge of the tooth brushing, talking to Peter as an equal, and fielding all those little questions that kids pose with care. Then it was time for Uncle Bazzy to read him a story, not that he got very far; it had been a busy day, and young Peter was tired. He fell asleep not long after Sebastian had started. He tucked the covers around him carefully, and then headed to the door, where Dave was standing, smiling. "You will be a great dad when the time comes, Sebby," he whispered.

"You will be an excellent Papa too," came his reply. As they walked back downstairs, they passed a window, and caught a glimpse into the street. They were just in time to see Isabelle, in her coat and leaving, in a tight embrace and a deep kiss with Julian. It seemed as if love was blossoming everywhere…


	76. Revisiting the Past

_There is some dialogue in another language in this chapter. Translations are in the numbered notes at the end..._

 **Revisiting the Past.**

By the time that New Year's Eve came, everyone had begun to reflect on what had been another eventful year, but this time, mainly for the right reasons. No-one that they were close to of their own generation had died; indeed, the only death had been that of Gordon Clarington, and that had been a cause for muted celebration. That had been the reason why Nick, Jeff and Thad had joined Kitty, Marley and a reluctant Artie at a boylesque show the night before; even Artie had to admit afterwards that the show had been 'interesting' and that some of the dancers were hot. Thad was with them as he had chosen to delay his return to L.A. and catch some more time with his brother, fitting it in around his shifts at the hospital.

As a group, they had all attended two weddings, because they all still counted the events of Christmas Day as a full blown wedding. They had survived nearly a year in business at the diner, and continued to go from strength to strength, down to having a good manager, and a youthful knowledge that could attract their own generation away from the ubiquitous chain restaurants. There had been love everywhere; confessions and revelations too, but as the year ended, most things had been resolved. Flint was firmly back in his mother's good books, just so long as nobody mentioned his job. She was already telling half of Manhattan that her son was marrying a doctor - and if she was now being cut dead by the whole Rubens family, well she would live. As for Beats, not only was he now out and open about his sexuality, and enjoying the honesty, but he had found himself with a little more than a boyfriend along the way…

After the events of Christmas Day, Elliott had found himself with a permanent house guest in the form of his little brother. His joy at being reunited with Josh was tempered slightly by his extreme anger at his father over the way that he had been treated, and that anger extended to both his mother and sister. He was determined that Josh's life was not going to be turned completely upside down in the way that his own had been in similar circumstances. Couch surfing whilst studying at college was not something to be recommended, but that had been his only option when his father had stopped all payments for his dorm, and the school's hardship fun had been unable to step in and help out, at least at first. He was now in a position where he could step up and look after his brother, and his first priority was his education. He did not want his brother's senior year of high school to be a complete disaster, and for that reason, he felt that it was vital that he remained at his school in Bergenfield. He could get a bus from the city, and although the journey was long, it would be better than the alternative of starting at a new school so close to final graduation - even if he got him into somewhere like Harvey Milk, it would be a challenge. Then there was the question of Scott. Elliott could see that his brother was in love, and he did not wish to be the one to spoil that.

It was for that reason that Elliott found himself sitting on a bus heading back towards his home town in New Jersey on the 31st. He had decided to go alone; Beats had been visiting the night before, and he had volunteered to keep Josh occupied. He had been so lucky to find him, Elliott realised now. He was a reliable boyfriend, and he did not run and hide at the first sign of family drama, as so many other people would have…

As he stepped off the bus outside his old high school, Elliott felt shivers down his spine. He had once vowed that he would never set foot in the town again, but he had to, and it was for a very good cause. His old principal had agreed to meet him at the school; he had called up the school two days after Christmas, knowing that she would be in her office; she lived for the school and for her students, and always had done. He was a little early for their appointment, but he knew that Ms Ramirez would not mind, as she was a great believer in punctuality. As he approached the building, he saw her looking out the window, and she met him at the door. To his surprise, she looked little changed by the years since they had last met. "Elliott Gilbert, it is good to see you! How is life in the big city suiting you?"

"It's good. I have a good job, great friends, and a relationship that I am proud of. However…"

"Your father has repeated history with young Josh… I have to admit that I was worried that this might happen, given the closeness of his relationship with Scott."

"Nothing escapes your notice, does it?"

"No, very little does… So, I am assuming that the purpose of your visit is to talk about his education. I am assuming that you wish to keep Josh here, given that it is his senior year? I can arrange for it that your parents will not be permitted on the school grounds, and given that your sister is no longer on the roll here, that will not be an issue we have to deal with…"

This was a surprise piece of news for Elliott, who had assumed that she would be around - after all, Josh had said nothing to contradict that expectation in the last few days. As if she was reading his mind - and it would not have surprised him if she could - Ms Ramirez said "She has been transferred to the girl's high school; your father decided that it would be better for her to be away from the influence of bad boys. What he is not aware of is that we were on the verge of expelling her in any case due to her behaviour. She is as much of a bully as he is, no offence intended."

"None taken, let me assure you, given that I strongly agree with your statement. It is a relief to know that she will not be around to torment him. So is there any paperwork that I need to fill out for you, given all that has happened? I am assuming that there will be…"

"Yes, there is, and not just for the school records. I took the liberty of asking a friend of mine from the social services department to join us today. She has prepared all the forms that you need to fill in to take official guardianship over Josh. I know that sounds like quite a drastic step to take, and that he is officially an adult himself, but in all honesty, Elliott, they are the best way to guarantee that he gets to live his life in the way he wishes at the moment. Your parents still have a lot of power over his life, and without these forms, they could still get my superiors to force me to expel him. This way, they lose that ability, and all that is required to make it legal is the signature and approval of a judge…" Elliott couldn't help but laugh at that point. He knew that Mr Ramirez was a judge at the county court, and that he would be more than happy to sign the papers if his wife asked him to…

After the school, he had been planning to just head back into the city, but he found that his feet were taking him along the familiar sidewalks in the direction that he had walked for four years in all kinds of weather. Then he was standing there, outside the family home. It looked the picture of the American suburban idyll, but behind those neat net curtains…

"They're not at home, Elliott, my dear. None of them are."

The voice startled him out of his thoughts, but he recognised it at once, even after all this time. "Hey, Mrs Watt! I was kind of hoping that they wouldn't be. To be honest, I don't even know why I came here. I guess that I just wanted to see if any of it had changed…"

"I think that deep down you wanted your father to be here, so that you could punch that imbecile hard on the nose!" Elliott smirked at those words coming from his parents' octogenarian neighbour. "I would not have blamed you for wanting to, and if he called the cops on you, he would have struggled to find a witness. Now, I am hoping that young Josh is with you. I heard the shouting last week, and saw him leaving in floods of tears, just as you did…"

"Yes, thankfully, he is with me. We had only managed to reconnect at Thanksgiving, and if we hadn't, then I hate to think where he might have ended up. He will be coming back here to finish school, though. The bus from New York is fairly quick…"

"That is true, but if for any reason he finds himself stuck here, he can come to me. I am not afraid of your father; Josh will always be welcome in my home."

"That's good to know, ma'am."

"Of course," said Mrs Watt, a twinkle in her eye, "the backdoor key is still hidden in the same place, if there is anything of your brother's that you wish to collect. Not that I told you that, naturally…"

When Elliott returned to his apartment that afternoon, he was carrying two large holdalls, much to the surprise of both Beats and Josh. "Ok, so school is sorted for you, Josh. Ms Ramirez is going to ban both of our parents from the premises, so no worries on that score. She also made arrangements so that I could complete the paperwork that makes me your legal guardian, so there is nothing now that they can say or do that will alter anything. Mrs Watt also says hello, and told me to tell you that if for any reason you find yourself stuck in Bergenfield, you can go and stay with her. She also let slip that some things about that house never change - so I might have gone in and cleared out your bedroom, pretty much…"

"You mean that all the stuff in those bags…" Elliott smiled as his brother seemed lost for words. "I thought that he would have thrown it all away by now. He did that with your stuff…"

"No, on this occasion he must be running behind schedule! So why don't you go and try to unpack - squeeze what you can into the closet…" Josh nodded, and after pulling his brother into a tight hug, he grabbed the two heavy bags and headed off into the bedroom.

The moment he was gone, Elliott's face fell, and Beats noticed the change at once. "Ok, what has happened? What are you not telling him?"

"There was a pile of leaflets lying on the dining table. A pile of leaflets for one of those gay to straight camps - and an E-mail to confirm that Josh had a place. It can't happen now that I am his guardian, but if I had waited too long… I have the horrible feeling that this is not over yet, not by a long chalk. My father could still make a move, challenge my guardianship, and that fact worries me…."

"We won't let him do anything to him," said Beats, quietly but forcefully. "And by we I don't just mean the two of us, but all of our friends. I know that Nick's father fully intended to do the same to him, but he went the other way about it; he locked Nick up in his bedroom after knocking lumps out of him, and if it hadn't been for the fact that Nick was expecting there to be trouble… Those kind of places should be banned; they 'cure' but I am sure that I recall reading somewhere that the statistics for suicides afterwards are horrific. No-one has ever woken up one morning and decided to be gay; you are, as Lady Gaga put it, born that way. I think that we need to warn Josh what your father was intending to do before he goes back to school. He needs to be aware of the potential danger from your parents. Maybe we should even get him to change his cellphone. We don't want to suffer any more pain than he has already."

"You're right, and I know it. I'm just so glad that you played detective and got him back in touch with me, Beats. If you hadn't, then who knows where he would have ended up when dad kicked off. I fall just a little bit more in love with you with each passing day, you know… I need you to know that. I also want to put it on record that I want the two of us to stay together for the rest of our lives. Maybe it's too soon to say that; maybe it will freak you out, but that is what I want. You and me, for the rest of our lives."

"It is early, yeah, but I agree with everything you just said, Elliott. I never used to believe in all that soulmate malarkey, but then came that day when all I went to do was give you a big friendly hug, and I knew it was true… I don't believe in marriage though - you need to know that. I don't think we need a big expensive party for friends and family, or a certificate to prove our love. As long as we both know, then that is enough for me. Don't go telling any of my married friends that, though… It suits them, but not me."

Beats looked at Elliott, who was looking thoughtful. Then he smiled and replied, "It is nice to finally meet someone who agrees with me on that score! Commitment and fidelity is all that I would ask for too…"

Beats stepped over and took Elliott into his arms, then whispered "Elliott Gilbert, I hereby commit myself to you, and only you, until the day we are parted by death; to be your best friend, confidante and lover. Together, in joy and sadness, until the end of the world."

"I commit myself to you, Nate Harper, until the day I die. I love you, and relish the fact that I get to call you that; something special that not even Flint enjoys the privilege of. You are stuck with me, until death, and then beyond that for all eternity…"

"Good!" whispered Beats, before he kissed him, and sealed their vow.

* * *

The year was not far away from being over, but fate would not hide away until the moment that the ball dropped in Times Square. Sebastian had no inkling as he walked to his work at The Strand bookstore that morning that his life was about to be knocked sideways. The day had started off so well; he woke up next to his husband, relishing the warm protective embrace that Dave had on him. He extracted himself from it with care, as he did not want to wake him up, at least not until he had prepared breakfast for him. They had made an impulse purchase of a waffle maker at Macy's sale the previous day, and he wanted to whip up a batch to serve to his husband for breakfast, along with some grilled bacon. He was successful in his endeavours, and they were ready by the time that the smell of the bacon drifted through to the bedroom and assailed Dave's nose. The domesticity of their life together was a complete revelation for both of them; they loved it and felt comforted by it.

Dave had practice for most of the day, in preparation for the game tomorrow, so he had left the house first. It was not a bad morning, and as he had plenty of time, Sebastian strolled down Third Avenue in the direction of The Strand, glad not be travelling on a crowded subway, or being bumped about on a bus. He was slightly early in arriving for his shift, and so he made his way to the staff room after leaving his coat in his locker, and poured himself a cup of coffee, heading to read what was new on the bulletin board. Fortified, he then headed out for his shift.

He had been on the floor, in his department, for a few minutes before he heard someone speaking into their phone in French, their tone angry and their words rapid. There was something else about it though that made him take notice, but he could not quite place his finger on it. He turned round, and froze on the spot.

It couldn't be. Not here, not now…

Then he heard a gasp, and the voice said one word in shocked tones - "Sebastian!"

He replied, in equally short measure with the word "Maman."

Neither mother or son seemed able to speak for a moment after that. Both just stared at each other in surprise that after all this time, they should meet by chance in a book store in Manhattan. Then, she spoke "What are you doing here? The last time that I talked to your father, he told me that he had sent you off to work for friends of his in London; he said they were willing to provide you with an internship and straighten you out in the process."

"Well, the name tag on my shirt should be a clue as to why I am here… A heck of a lot can happen to someone in two and a half years, maman! Is that really the last time that you talked to him? And I am guessing that the time prior to that might have been when you called him to say that you had had enough of me, and that you were sending me back to him in the States!"

"That is not true! I called him frequently, and still do, but most of the time I get my young replacement, and the rest of the time he is too busy to talk. It isn't as if you've tried to call me in all that time either, young man! I gave him my new number when I called two years ago, and he promised to pass it on to you - but you never called me, not once!"

"What new number? Trust me, I tried to call you so many times in Paris in the first two years I was back here; I was desperate to hear the voice of someone who actually might love me, but you were never at home. Then, when my life had reached its lowest possible ebb, I tried and discovered that the phone had been disconnected altogether! I really did need you, maman, but you weren't there! I was going through a living hell - he didn't give a darn, and as for you, you were no longer interested!"

"I swear to you that I gave him my new number the first Christmas after I sent you back to him; he assured me every time after that that he had given it to you, but that you were awkward, and uninterested. I had to get a new number when I left Paris and took a new position within my firm. I live in Quebec these days, and I am here, in New York, because I have a couple of meetings to attend, and then I decided to turn the trip into a short break."

Sebastian stood in silence for a moment, stunned at what he had just heard. Then, in a lower voice he said "You live in Quebec? No-one ever told me! He said nothing! You were so close to me when I was at my lowest, when I needed my maman, but he said nothing. He just left me to suffer…."

"What are you talking about, Sebastian? What happened to you?"

On the verge of tears, Sebastian spoke softly. "I was tortured by one of my classmates at Dalton in my senior year. He whipped me so hard that the scars are permanent. I was lucky - he went on to brand two of my friends with a white hot fire poker; ended up killing two people… I needed you, maman, and you were nowhere to be found… He broke me, maman, and even now, the pain is still there. I needed you, and…" The tears had begun to run down Sebastian's cheeks by now, and he stopped; he looked up and saw that the same was true for his mother.

"Mon pauvre petit garçon. Si je l'avais su que vous aviez besoin de moi, je l'aurais courir à vos côtés. Je vous ai si mal traité. Votre père a résisté entre nous, je pense. Je ne lui pardonnerai jamais pour cela." (1)

She was crying as much as he was now, and Sebastian knew instinctively by the fact that she was speaking in her native French that she was highly emotional. He replied in a soft voice "Ne pleure pas, maman! Je t'aime tellement. Je me sentais tellement perdu à Paris que je fis et vous blesser si mal. il est à blâmer ici, il a détruit notre lien. Tu me manques, maman." (2)

"Tu me manques aussi, Sebastian," she replied in a whisper. (3)

He needed no prompting, and he stepped forward and embraced her. The first thing that he noticed was her perfume, still the same as it had always been - and that made him sob all the harder. He did not care that he was having an emotional breakdown in the middle of The Strand; let the people stare! He had to get all of his sadness out before the anger he could feel growing towards his father took over his emotions. It had been bad enough that he had deprived him of his half-brother for all of those years; but to deny him his mom - well that was a step too far.

In the end they did pull apart, and his maman went straight to her purse, pulled out a paper tissue, and handed it over to him. He wiped at his eyes, and then at his face, as his mother did exactly the same. He was almost waiting, he realised, for another tissue to be brought out; for her to hold it under his nose and tell him to blow, as she had always done when something had reduced him to tears when he was much younger…

"So I should leave you to your work," his mother said suddenly. For a moment, he felt as if his heart would break, fearing the worst. "I would like to talk, though, so maybe we could meet up later, when you finish work? Then again, it is New Year's Eve, and you must have plans…"

"Nothing that can't wait, or be changed," said Sebastian. "I want - no, need - you back in my life, maman. Meet me here at five, when I finish. There is somebody that I need you to meet…"

 _Notes._

 _(1) My poor little boy. If I had known that you needed me, I would have run to your side. I have treated you so badly. Your father has stood between us, I think. I will never forgive him for that._

 _(2) Don't cry, maman! I love you so much. I felt so lost in Paris that I acted up and hurt you so badly. He is to blame here, he has destroyed our bond. I miss you maman._

 _(3) I miss you too, Sebastian._


	77. The Prodigal Uncle

**The Prodigal Uncle**

At the same moment that Sebastian's mom left The Strand, promising to be back at five, and leaving him in a mild state of shock at her reappearance, Michelle was in her office at the Spotlight, looking over her plans for the evening. True, it was far from the busiest night of the year for the diner, as most people that were heading out intent on celebrating the start of 2016 would not chose to do so over a coffee. They would pick up a little later as the crowds that had been in Times Square made their way back home, and might pause for a quick coffee, or more; the night was usually chilly, and a hot drink, a nice cake and good company were always a bonus at the end. She was still glad that she would have an extra bit of help that evening in the shape of Thad, who still had not headed back to L.A. David and Mercedes had left days ago, as she had to prepare for her spot on the televised New Year's Eve gala, and David wanted to be there at her side for it. Thad had understood this sentiment entirely, knowing full well that had it been Wes, he would have been at his side too. The prospect of spending the night alone in their apartment in L.A. did not appeal, particularly as he knew that Wes would be busy with work - it was one of the busiest nights of the year for angels.

So he had opted to stay in New York. He had been offered the use of the spare room at the big loft, but he had declined it when Ollie had told him he should come and stay with him. His decision to work at the diner that night was influenced by the fact that he did not want to impose himself into the plans that the others had made. It meant that he got to spend the evening with Michelle, who was as good as family to him already through Wes - and if the budding relationship between her and Ollie did blossom into something, she might one day be family for real. As for his brother, he had the night shift at the E.D. and so he would spend his New Year surrounded by the injured and sick; he had the following night off, and they had agreed to celebrate then. Just now, Thad was stood behind the register at the diner, having been helping to serve, and he was finding that it was a pleasure to help out in his small way.

When the door opened and he walked in, he looked like any other customer they might see on a busy day. He headed straight towards the counter in the direction of Thad. As he approached, Thad noted that he was in his early thirties, well groomed, and dressed in designer clothes; he had with him a large case on wheels, along with a bulging satchel slung over his shoulder. 'A prep school boy, like me, who is heading to the airport and is in need of a decent cup of coffee before he gets there,' Thad surmised. Then he was in front of him, and he asked "Good afternoon! How can I help you?"

"Yeah, I'm hoping that you can… I'm looking for someone and I hope that I have the right place; the information that I was given did not come from the most reliable of sources. I need to speak to Michelle Lau quite urgently, and I understand that she works here."

Thad was at once curious -and worried. He began to wonder if the man in front of him was a lawyer, sent by Mrs Montgomery to deliver yet another blow to her niece. He looked the type. He could always deny that she worked here, he supposed… But then, what if he wasn't a lawyer at all, and was here for some other vital reason. He had no choice really. "She's in the back at the moment. Can I tell her who it is that is asking for her?"

"If you wouldn't mind, I would be grateful to you." He handed Thad a card, which he took without a glance; Thad smiled, and headed into the back. It was only as he knocked gently on her office door that he finally glanced down at the name written on it…

When Thad walked in, Michelle looked up, and was instantly startled by how pale he was, and how he was trembling. He stumbled to the seat on his side of the desk, and sat down, taking a few deep breaths as she continued to look at him with the deepest concern. Finally he spoke… "You have a visitor, Michelle. I had no idea who he was; didn't until I glanced down at his card as I stood outside your door. He says that it is urgent, but what it is all about I do not know. I mean, why on earth would he show up here? I have no idea…."

"Who is it?" Thad handed her the card, and as she read the name on it, she too felt a wave of weakness and nausea pass over her. Just like Thad, she immediately questioned his motivation in coming here; wondered how he had even managed to find her.

"If you want, I will go back out there and say that you have stepped out for a moment, or that you are too busy to see him."

"No Thad, there isn't any point in doing that. He would just wait, and I would still have to face him eventually." She stood up, and took a breath. "I guess there is little point in delaying the inevitable…"

"Ok, just know that I am right by your side, and I am not leaving it," said Thad. The two of them made their way back to the counter, where he was still standing waiting. As they approached he looked up, and smiled wanly.

"Michelle. Thank you for seeing me. I'm sorry to just drop in like this unannounced, but it is kind of important that we talk."

"It's unexpected, to put it mildly. I never imagined I would see you here. So, what can I do for you, Albert?"

Michelle had spoken the name of her cousin by marriage with such an amount of venom that Thad, at her side, felt chills running through him. He could imagine the steely glare that she was giving him at the same time; he had seen it himself before when someone had made her unhappy, and it had left him feeling cold then. Albert did seem shaken, but replied "I need to tell you a few things; warn you what is about to happen. If we could talk somewhere in private?"

Michelle glanced around the diner and saw that it was uncharacteristically quiet for the time of day. The handful of customers that were in the place were some distance away, and would be unlikely to overhear. "No, I don't think so. Anything that you have to say to me you can say to me here. Frankly, I don't trust you, and I want any conversation between us to be in public."

"Ok, I get why you'd want that, but maybe…" Albert gestured towards Thad with his head, and he immediately got what it was that he was suggesting. Thad was torn, but he turned as if to step away - and immediately felt a hand on his arm.

"No, you stay. I want a witness, and like I said to you before, you are my brother now. That statement has made you looked confused, Albert. I guess that I had better make some introductions. Albert Montgomery, this is Thad Harwood…" She paused as a wave of recognition came over Albert's face as she said the name.

"You're Wes' boyfriend. My stepmother has cursed your existence in her more drunken moments regularly. It's actually nice to put a face to the name at last."

Thad nodded, and replied, "I would say likewise, but it isn't a pleasure for me to meet one of the people that helped to make my Wes' home life a misery when he was younger."

There was silence at the counter then, none of them speaking, until Albert let out a sigh. "I know that I did, and although it is no excuse for the harm I did, when Randall Montgomery Junior is your big brother, you don't get the opportunity to disagree with his opinions. He tells you what you are going to do, and you do it, or you pay the price for it. I'll admit it; I'm weak - my dad and Randy always say it; and I'm a follower. I wish every day that Wes was still here, so that I could get a chance to tell him how sorry I was for all that I took part in - the name calling, the abuse, the hatred; because my nephew deserved so much better from me…"

"He knows!" came a whisper from behind Thad's back; he was not in the least surprised to discover that Wes had come to join them. He had not felt the draught from his wings, but that only meant that he had chosen to land elsewhere in the diner and walk in. "How does he know?" Wes continued, "And for how long?"

It was Michelle that asked the question for him. "Oh, Albert, you slipped up. You said nephew, not brother. How long have you known that Wes was not your little brother? Is that why…?"

"That is part of the reason I am here, but not all of it. I have known for just under a week. When his mother decided that she wished to drunkenly air all of her dirty laundry over the phone to you, she should really have checked that there wasn't anyone else in the room she has just stepped into first. I was lying on the couch when she walked in, phone in one hand, glass of gin in the other. She obviously never saw me lying there, or none of us would be any the wiser about the sordid liaison between my brother and the witch that would go on to become my stepmother. I mean, he was only thirteen…. I'm sure that there is blame on both sides, because although she should have known better as the supposed adult in the situation, he has always had the knack of persuading people to do exactly as he wants; a potent mixture of his slick charm and manipulative blackmail. He's used it on me for my entire life, not to mention all of those unfortunate women - he's not called Randy without a good bit of reason. I'm sure that Wes has any number of half-siblings out there; they can't all have been to have an abortion."

Thad heard a small aching sob behind him, and he wished that he could just turn round and pull him into a tight hug; hold him to his chest as he cried for all of those innocent lives, both living and dead. All he could do in the circumstances was place a hand behind his back discreetly; the moment that he did he felt it grasped tightly between Wes' two hands, and then he felt Wes' head settle into the crook between his neck and his shoulder; could feel his tears falling against his skin there.

"Wes was lucky to get here, I guess. Had he not had a scheming gold digger for a mother, then he would probably have gone the way of so many of the others. She saw an opportunity of her own for blackmail, and she took it. She went to my dad, I guess, when he was still weak in the aftermath of my mom's death; probably told him that his eldest son had raped her, and that she was going to go to the police. It would have been a huge scandal, and let's face it, the chances are that she would have been believed by everyone. Reputation is so important to my father; far more important than the happiness of his children, and he would have done anything at that moment to have avoided shame being brought upon the family name. Thus came the wedding, and the story that Wes was my half brother. I resented him because Randy told me that he would be the favourite, and that he would steal away everything that should be ours. I believed him, because at the age of twelve, I idolised my big brother, and trusted his every word…"

Albert paused, his eyes downcast, unable to look up and meet the case of the two people standing beside him. "I was an idiot. I know that now, and I just wish that I had at the time. There was a brief period when I behaved like a decent human being, when Wes was five… Randy had gone to college, to pretend that he was studying whilst he actually just goofed off; he knew that all he had to do was rush the right frat house with the family name, and he wouldn't flunk out of school. He was sure to get a passing grade in everything regardless of what he did, trust me. We were still living in Ohio then, so when he went off to school, it left me alone with Wes; it was not an ideal situation in my opinion, at least not at first. His mom you see was trying to manoeuvre herself into a position of power and influence in the community, so she was absent for as much as the time as dad. I was expected to babysit him for much of that time. I hated the prospect, but over a few weeks, I came to realise that all Randy had told me was wrong. He wasn't the little pest he made him out to be; Wes was a good little guy, who could be trusted to do as he was told, and just sit there and read if I had homework to do. He was no bother at all, and when the weather was nice, he would happily run out into the garden to go and play with… I can never remember the kid next door's name…"

"Simon Thompson," said Thad, earning him a look from Albert. "As you know, I was at school with Wes; I was introduced by him during my first week at Dalton, to David, Simon's little brother. He and I go to college together in L.A."

Albert nodded, and continued. "Wes and Simon were very close. He loved Simon's mom so much too, and I can't blame him. She was a kind, loving woman like my mom - not a cold, scheming harlot like… I actually remember when Simon died; Wes was so cut up by it that I wanted to go to him, hug him and tell him that I cared. But Randy was around, and so, like an idiot, I decided not to… I think that if I had stayed home and gone to college in Ohio, rather than slavishly following Randy, then Wes and I would have been closer. I wish that I had been closer to him so much now…"

"Much as I am enjoying seeing you admit that you got it wrong, Albert," Michelle said tetchily, "can we get to the point of your visit? I am quite sure that you didn't just come here to admit that you were a total ass to Wes for years, and now that you know he was your nephew, you feel so guilty, and want my absolution."

"Actually, that last bit was part of it. I am sorry for the way that I behaved towards him, and I never wanted to harm him in the way that Randy did. He tried to set Wes up to get him into trouble all the time; he wanted to see his halo slip. At the time, I thought that it was a horrible way to treat anyone, let alone your brother, but now… The scales have slipped from my eyes; Randall is a psychopath; a liar; a manipulator; a spoiled little brat who has been pandered to every single day of his life. Over the years he has placed me in situations that I look back on with horror and disgust. He tried to force me all the time to join in with his antics, but I resisted as much as I could. If he dragged me out drinking, then I would try to stay sober; if he was trying to force his attentions on a girl, then the friend that he had always pushed in my direction; well, I tried to ensure that she came to no harm, and if possible, rescued her friend from his clutches. I am no angel, and I have done a lot of things that I am not proud of, but that is about to change. I am turning the tables on them all. I told you at the start that I came her with a warning. I need you and your parents to be ready and prepared for what is about to happen. This time tomorrow, the whole of the east coast will be abuzz with the news of the Montgomery scandal. I am just so glad that you wrested control of your parents business from my stepmother. It was the wisest move you ever made…"

Michelle looked at him curiously, observing the big smile that now graced his face. "After her call to you finished on Christmas Day, my evil stepmother stumbled from the room, in search of more gin. I don't know how long I just lay there on the couch, in a state of shock. Then I got up, and headed up to my room, where I stayed for the rest of the day. I knew that if I saw dad or Randy, I would not be able to stop myself from saying something, or punching them. So much was going through my mind; part of me was hoping it was a story; a plot to besmirch the name of the only decent member of the Montgomery family. Then, when I began to think about what she said, it all started to make perfect sense. Why my dad had suddenly chosen to marry the nurse that he had barely even spoken to until then. It was all done with the motive of protecting my big brother and the family name. My dad is an idiot; it would have been better for Randy to have faced the consequences of his actions, to have taken the hit then, and maybe he wouldn't have become such an asshole. I can never forgive him for his choice - the only good thing that came from it was Wes. So I bade my time at home, and let the holiday pass. I had the information that I needed after all. I knew about the safe deposit box now, and what was supposed to be in it. Now I was actually going to go and check it out for myself, and see all of the secrets that it contained."

"It wasn't an easy thing to actually do in practice. I had to make up a tale as to where I was heading, and arrange for an old and trusted friend to give me an alibi. When the bank in Blue Hill opened up after the holidays on Monday morning, I was standing on the threshold, first in line. Now of course, this is where Randy made his big mistake. He had always assumed that I was so loyal and totally under his thumb that he gave me access to the safety deposit box that he and my stepmother had acquired. All I had to do was show my drivers licence, and ask for the key to Box 193. Let me tell you that as they went to fetch it, I was waiting for things to go wrong; for a call to have been made to deny me access to that box after all. But then the lady in the bank was back with the box and the key; she then left me in a side room, all alone, closing the door behind her as she left, with the instruction to press a button when I wished to leave… It was all as I expected. There was a thick file of evidence from the Police Department in Providence, Rhode Island. I knew that it would connect Randy to the fire at that poor man's restaurant. What I had not expected to find with it was a pile of correspondence between my brother and that woman, in which they discussed the case, and best of all, she admitted how she had obtained the file. Then I saw it - the letter in which they discussed Plan B. If none of it worked, then Randy had set things up so that I would take the fall for it instead of him… That was the straw that broke the camel's back. After that, there was no more doubt in my mind. I would no longer bow to familial pressures. He had been planning to frame me for his crime, and there was no trace of hesitation. Next in the box came the medical records that proved conclusively that Wes was my nephew, not my brother; and I actually sat there and cried as I thought how he had been mistreated by all of us. That left one final folder, and it was the one that left me speechless. It was more shocking to me than the rest. It turned out that my father had kept a record of every young woman that he had paid off after Randy left them in difficulty after a one night stand. He had also kept notes of every slightly shady business transaction he had ever made. As you know, Michelle, the Montgomery family has a reputation for squeaky clean business dealings, but trust me, that has been unfairly earned. Basically, the box contained dynamite. So I had a decision to make. I left the box in the bank; a box now containing the two hardback books on business law that I had lifted from Randy's room. I took all the good stuff with me…."

"I always thought that he was dodgy! I mean, he's my uncle, but there was always a doubt in my mind about your father…" said Michelle. "So, now that you have it all, what are you going to do with it?"

Albert smiled again, and quietly replied. "As I said, when I was in that room, I had a choice; my crooked father, wicked stepmother and philandering criminal of a brother, or I could do what Wes would have done - good, kindly, law-abiding Wes. I chose my nephew over the rest, and I would do the same any time now, if I was asked. The missing evidence file will be left on the counter of the police station in Providence by a friend of mine, at midnight tonight, with the incriminating correspondence between my brother and stepmother attached; a photocopy of the same entire file will be delivered to the local TV station at the same time, just to be safe. The files relating to my fathers crooked business deals I scanned into my laptop, and the resultant computer files will be e-mailed to the police and other relevant authorities in Boston, as well as the media in the city, also at the stroke of midnight. As for the DNA evidence - that I am giving to you, Michelle. You will know what to do with it for the best…" He opened his satchel, and handed a large manila envelope to her. "Use it to protect his reputation, if you need to. Your aunt should be arrested and charged with conspiracy in all likelihood anyway; she is implicated not just in covering up Randy's arson, but also in my father's dealings as well. My name is not tied to any of it, nor is that of Wes. One thing I have no doubt of though - as of midnight, the name and reputation of the Montgomery family is going to be shattered. As for me, well they will all know who it was that did this to them - my name is recorded at the bank. So, I am leaving the country tonight. I'm off to Italy - there was a girl at college that I fell for, but Randy didn't approve, and so he did his utmost to ensure we were kept apart. He succeeded to an extent, but behind his back, we never quite lost touch. She works in one of the museums in Florence, and when I called her two nights ago, I asked if she would like a long term visitor; she said yes at once. If I am really lucky, I hope that one day she will say yes to marrying me too…"Albert looked up after he had finished in expectation, and was at once confronted by the shocked faces of both Michelle and Thad, and a stunned silence.

"Oh Lord! He has actually done it! He has finally done what he has always needed to do; he has stood up to Randall! At this moment, I am so very proud of my uncle. I just wish that he could hear me so that I could tell him that…" said Wes, audible only to his cousin and his boyfriend.

It was Thad that spoke next. "Well Albert, what can I say? You have done the right thing, but it can't have been an easy choice to make. It will ruin your family utterly, and the stain of their misdeeds will impact on you too."

"I don't care. They all deserve every bit of what is coming to them. I hope that they all end up with jail time, because that is what they should get in my honest opinion. As for me, the trust fund money that I got from my maternal grandmother has been soundly invested, and is completely unconnected to the business, just as the trust fund that Wes had. I'll not be rich; I'll be comfortable, and that is more than ok by me. The cost of living in Italy is lower, and once I know enough of the language, I can get a job of some kind. My only concern in all of this is that it might taint Wes and his memory. You have to promise me here and now that the two of you will do everything you can to prevent that happening."

"Oh, we will Albert, trust me," said Michelle, her tone much softer now. "Look, I know that you and I have never seen eye to eye on things, but that was largely because of what I witnessed in the way that you treated Wes. I believe that you are sorry for that, and that Randy had a hold over you. So please, don't vanish altogether. I am still your cousin, and I wouldn't mind if you kept in touch."

"I'd like that. I can see now that you are not the interfering bitch that my mother always called you, but someone who, like Wes, tries to follow the right path. All the things you've done were for the best. Wes is better off lying at rest in the place he was happiest in life than in a dusty cupboard in that house."

"I want to add one thing," said Thad. "Wes would be proud of you for having the courage to do what you have done. If he had ever found out about all of this, he would have done exactly the same. He would have nothing but praise at the moment for his uncle…"

"Thad's right. Wes would be so proud of you just now, Bertie…" Albert nodded, and wiped away the tears that had started to form in his eyes.

His flight was not due to leave for a few more hours, and so Michelle told him to take a seat, and she would get him something for dinner so he did not have to pay the prices at the airport. He agreed, and Michelle went to fetch him a plate of pot roast, along with a generous portion of soda bread. Thad meanwhile slipped into the office himself, and logged into his Facebook account, from where he could print a few photos of Wes, taken in the last weeks of his life, so that Albert could take them away with him as a memory when he was thousands of miles away from the USA. He did this with no prompt, but eventually he heard a voice say "That one of us from Central Park if you can. I like it…" behind him, and so he dutifully added the one of him and Wes, that he loved as much as his boyfriend; a reminder of the one wonderful week they had been alone together in New York. He slipped them into an envelope, then handed them to Albert as he sat eating his meal. He regarded it with curiosity, and then opened it carefully, taking out its contents. Moments later, Thad found himself wrapped lightly in Albert's arms, and he was receiving a tearful whispered "Thank you" from the man he would have been related to if fate had not intervened.

When the time finally came for Albert Montgomery to head to the airport to catch his flight and start his journey to Italy, Michelle stepped out from behind the counter once more, and pulled him into a hug. "You take care of yourself, Bertie. Send me a postcard; address it here, as this is where I spend most of my time these days."

"I will do. I just hope that the media keep away from you and your family, because you deserve to prosper. Look, if she does say yes, maybe you could think about coming to my wedding…?"

"Oh, I just might, Bertie. Ok, take care." She watched as he climbed into a cab, and sped off into the traffic.

"Who was that?" came a voice behind her, and she turned to see Jeff standing there with Nick.

"That was Albert Montgomery; came to say goodbye to me before he left for Italy."

"He what…?" exclaimed Nick. "Isn't he a bit of an…"

"He was," said Michelle, cutting him off. "As Wes would tell you, people can change, and trust me when I tell you that this time tomorrow, when you and the rest of the world know what I do, you will see my cousin Bertie in a totally different light…" She walked back into the diner, leaving Nick and Jeff wondering exactly what it was she knew…


	78. A Tale of Two Mothers

**A Tale of Two Mothers**

It was a little before five when Albert left the Spotlight Diner heading for his flight from JFK. A few minutes later, an anxious Sebastian was putting on his coat, and preparing to leave The Strand at the end of his shift, hoping that he would find his mother waiting for him at the door as she had promised when he walked out. He was hopeful that she would be there, but he could not help but recall that she had not been the most reliable of people, even before the divorce, and then their own lengthy separation. As he went to walk out, he was greeted by colleagues, all of them wishing him a Happy New Year, and as he paused to accept hugs and handshakes, he looked up and saw her there, standing by the door, a broad smile on her face as she watched him. He knew that smile so well; true, she was older now, but that smile was the same one that he had seen so many times before, back in the good old days, when he had stepped back into the house after a day at elementary school… He put such sentimental thoughts out of his head, and decided that he would hail a cab, rather than have the two of them walk the twenty or so blocks north as he usually would have done. He had sent a text to Dave after all, asking him to try and be home by five, as he had important news to tell him.

On walking up to her, her first words were "You were not sure that I would be here, were you? I don't blame you. Since our chat earlier, I have realised that although your father was the one that drove us apart, I could have done much more to get in touch, and for that, I am truly sorry."

"You have nothing to apologise for, maman. I have learnt in the last few years that there is no point in dwelling on the past. You learn from your mistakes, and you move on. Live for the here and now. So, we are going to get a cab, and I am going to show you where I live; my little apartment. I might even attempt to rustle you up a very simple supper - my cooking skills have improved greatly on those that I had when we lived in Paris…"

"So less need for fire extinguishers these days…?"

"Yes, maman. Less need…"

They found a cab quickly - Sebastian had taken lessons from Rachel on how to get one - and in no time at all they were pulling up outside the brownstone in Murray Hill. Sebastian could see the look of surprise on his mother's face as she stared up at the building whilst he paid the driver, and that made him smile. "I don't own the whole place. I rent a small part of it from a friend, who is now a leading man on Broadway. This is my home down here." He guided his mother down the steps to the door, and saw the faint glow of light from inside as he did so; Dave had obviously managed to make it home. He had no idea exactly how he was going to make the introductions, but he thought it might be for the best if they were both sitting down at the time… He unlocked the door, and his senses were instantly assailed by the smell of a stew heating - Dave had been thoughtful enough to take one of the casseroles he had prepared out of the freezer, and had placed it in the oven to heat through. He only hoped it would be enough.

He turned and took his mother's coat, as she regarded him with curiosity. "You have a roommate?"

"A little more than that actually, maman," he replied, as he steered her in the direction of the kitchen.

"Is that you, Sebby?" came a voice as they approached the door.

Sebastian responded, after a pause, with the words, "Yes, Dave, it's me. We have a guest." As they stepped into the kitchen, Dave looked up, and he paused in slicing up the baguette he had picked up on the way home from the little French bakery. Sebastian took a breath, and then spoke. "Ok, so you may both wish to sit down… Dave, this is my maman, Eloise." He paused, watching as Dave's mouth dropped open, then came to the conclusion that his mother's face would be the better one. "Maman, this is Dave, my husband."

He was right. His mother's face was an absolute picture. There was no hiding her shock at the news. "Your husband! You are married! My son is… How long?"

"Since August - we had been going out for a while before that, and we first met whilst I was still at Dalton. We had our issues, but we overcame them, because we love each other," Sebastian replied.

"Was your father - actually, no, don't answer that, of course he wouldn't have been at your wedding! I wish that I had known, because there is nothing that would have given me more pleasure than to have seen my baby boy marry his true love…"

Dave had been sitting stunned, but now he spoke. "Ok, I'm sorry, but what is going on here? This morning, Seb had not seen a trace of you in years, and now you are sitting here, acting as if…"

"Dave, please, it's ok…" Sebastian began.

"No, Sebastian, he has every right to be angry with me. I would expect nothing less from your husband; the man for my son would have to be able to defend and protect him, in my opinion, and that is all he is doing. So, the story goes like this. I met him by chance this morning at the bookstore. His father had told me that Sebastian wanted nothing more to do with me, just as he told Sebastian that I wanted nothing to so with him. I never stopped loving him; when he was acting up in Paris, I did not like him very much, but I never stopped loving him. I still wanted him in my life. His father punished me for leaving him, and Sebastian for embarrassing him by keeping us apart. He knew that was the one thing that would hurt us both so deeply…"

"That does sound like the kind of thing that he would do, from what I have been told," said Dave. "I have never had the misfortune to meet my father-in-law, or he might well have ended up in hospital. As long as my Sebby is happy, then it is a great pleasure to meet my mother-in-law for the first time. It also proves to me that there is a lot of truth in what Julian told me - both he and Sebastian get their good looks from their mothers…"

Eloise laughed at that, and said, "I think that I like you young man; you certainly know how to flatter a lady."

"I try my best… Anyway, I have reheated a Bouef Bourguignon that Sebastian made and placed in the freezer, and there should be more than enough for three of us with some potatoes. I will carry on with the preparations, set another place at the table, and let the two of you chat."

As Dave made to carry on with the dinner, Sebastian guided his mother into the sitting room. When they got there, she turned to face her son, her face grave. "Dave just said that Julian had told him about your looks. Are you back in contact with your half-brother? The last that I knew, he had disappeared from our lives; I was told that he and your father argued about me and money, and Julian had told him that as long as I was around…"

Sebastian stopped her there, with a shake of his head. "Oh, maman, it would appear that dear father started to spin his web of lies earlier than you thought. He told Jules that he was no longer welcome in the house after he got a girl into trouble at college, and he refused to follow father's wishes and force her to have the child aborted. I have a nephew, Peter - and I guess he is a step-grandson to you too… I only got back in touch with Jules in the middle of this year, but both he and Peter were at my wedding, so I did have some family there. I also think that he will be more than pleased for me that you are back in my life. He knows better than anyone I know, apart from my late friend Kurt, how painful it is to lose a mother. After all, he and Kurt both lost their mom in the most tragic of circumstances."

At that point, Dave walked into the room and announced that dinner was ready, and apologised in advance that it might not be up to the high culinary standards that she might expect. She laughed, and said that it was bound to be wonderful, but as she did so, Sebastian caught a look on her face; a look that he knew to be one of internal pain and conflict. It had come to her the moment that he had mentioned Julian's mother, and it had at once sent little alarm bells ringing in his head. She knew something that he did not about the death of the first Mrs Smythe, and he could only imagine just how horrible the truth might be, given all that his father had done to the two of them. His questions were shelved though as they took their places at the dinner table. Dave had opened a bottle of red wine, from a good French vintage, and he was serving up the stew with sides of mashed potatoes and green beans, not to mention the good fresh bread. "I hope that I have done the casserole justice with the sides; Sebastian is by far the better cook, although he is teaching me, and I am getting better. So, let us enjoy, and raise a glass in celebration of the return to our lives of my beautiful mother-in-law Eloise."

"And for the appearance in my life of my son-in-law, Dave. I know so little about you, and I want to know it all. I don't even know your surname…"

"Karofsky-Smythe, maman. That is my married name, and I love it. So, as for a toast, how about one to love. That would be the best one of all, would you not agree?" They did, and so they raised their glasses in celebration of the most wonderful of emotions.

During the meal they made the usual small talk. Dave told his mother-in-law all about himself, and she told him little things he did not know about her own life. She was also fulsome in her praise for Sebastian's cooking. As she watched the two of them though, she had no reason to complain about the way that Dave behaved towards her son. She could see the deep love and affection that they had for each other in the way that they looked at each other, in the way that they could finish the others sentences, and all the little gestures and touches that they did without even knowing it. She had almost forgotten that she too had her tells until the moment that Dave told them to head back to the sitting room, and he would bring through some coffee.

The moment they were back in the other room, Sebastian reminded her that he could tell exactly what she was thinking. "So, maman, what do you know about the death of Julian's mom that I, and possibly he, do not? Please do not tell me that he killed her, because that would break my heart, and what such news would do to Jules is not something I wish to contemplate."

"No, no, your father might be many things, but a killer he is not. He would be the kind that would pay a stooge to commit a murder for him - but he didn't do that either… I guess that I have to tell you this, and it is something that your half-brother deserves to know too, though the news might hurt and upset him greatly. As I told you earlier, I live in Quebec now, in a small village just outside Montréal to be precise. Last summer I was in a store in town when I literally bumped into a woman, neither of us looking where we were going. I opened my mouth to apologise, even though it wasn't entirely my fault, but then I saw her face, and I froze. You see, I recognised her at once, and she should not have been there, not by any possibility, given what I knew, in a store in Montréal… You see, the woman I bumped into was supposed to be long dead. I had just bumped into Margaret Smythe, your father's first wife, and Julian's mother…"

Sebastian stared at his mother for a few seconds and then shook his head. "I'm sorry, maman, I thought that you just said that Julian's mom bumped into you. Julian's dead mom. He went to her funeral! I've read all that they said about her in the newspapers. She died…"

"Yes, there was indeed a funeral; I should know, because I was one of the people there. I knew your father by then, but at that time, just in a work capacity. If you have seen the articles, then you will know the exact circumstances of her death."

"Yeah, she died in a car crash when she and dad were on vacation in…" Sebastian stopped as he realised the connection. "She died whilst they were on vacation in Quebec. A crash whilst she was driving alone, followed by a fire that was so severe that the body in the car was burnt beyond all recognition. The funeral had a coffin, but contained only ashes…"

"So it was easy to fake her death…" came a voice, and the two of them turned to see Dave standing in the doorway with a tray of coffee and cake. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear. The one thing I don't get is why..?"

"My ex-husband was already a womaniser on a massive scale by that point. She knew, and had confronted him about it; the holiday in Canada was supposed to be a second chance; an attempt to repair their fractured marriage for the sake of Julian, and for the sake of his reputation. An affair can be forgiven for a figure in the public eye, but a string of dubious relationships who would have destroyed him publicly as a District Attorney, and ruined his hopes of promotion to the position that he now holds. She thought that she held all the cards, but old habits die hard I guess. Julian was at home with his nanny, so they should have had plenty of time to talk things through, and spend time alone reconnecting. Instead, he spent most of his alone time chatting up and sleeping with random woman he met in hotel bars; and in a small town near Montréal, she finally decided that enough was enough. She demanded that he give her an immediate divorce, for which he would take all of the blame, and also asked for full custody of Julian. He agreed to her request at first, but when she said that she would ensure that all the sordid details came out, he changed his mind. He couldn't have that, it would destroy his reputation permanently. So he made a suggestion, and after a lot of debate and discussion, she agreed reluctantly to go along with it. He asked her to let him return home, whilst she remained in Canada, so that she could cool off. Then, once he had won his coveted position of State Attorney, she could return home. When she did, he would agree to a quick, no contest divorce that would leave her wealthy, and with Julian. But as you know, that was not what happened."

"So what happened? Did he threaten her, make her out to be the bad guy in all of it?" said Sebastian, as he accepted a cup of coffee from Dave.

"No, he didn't need to. She had time to think that night after he had left, and she came to the conclusion that there was no way he would keep his promise. He would try and blame it all on her - and given that she had been visiting a shrink for a few months before the trip, people would believe that she had mental health issues when he said it. Plus, he had contacts in the system; he would win any case she tried to fight. She knew that she would lose Julian in the end, and she didn't want to see him hurt; torn hither and thither between his two parents. To save him from becoming a pawn in the case, a victim of the system, she informed your father in a note that she no longer intended to come back to Ohio. She would start a new life in Canada, but she would never grant him a divorce; that was her one piece of revenge. By the time he found the note, she had packed and left. He was angry, but then he heard all about the car crash, and suddenly he thought that his luck was in…"

"He thought that it was her at first then?" said Dave.

"At the time, yes; but given that he saw her a week later, and told her what he had done… By the time of the funeral, it is safe to assume that he knew she wasn't dead. When she found out about all of that, she was irate, and demanded that he come clean at once. Told him that if he didn't, she would walk into the courthouse in Columbus and say hi to his boss. It was then though that he played his trump card…"

"Jules. Imagine being told that your mommy is dead, and then a week later being told that mommy isn't dead. That daddy lied. That would have screwed him up for life. She didn't want that for him, so she had to stay dead," said Sebastian sadly.

"That's exactly it. It broke her heart to have to do it, but she couldn't destroy him."

"Ok, so if she didn't die, then technically, when father married you, he committed a crime. He committed an act of bigamy."

"Technically, yes. Legally however, he had a death certificate for his first wife, and so he was in the clear. Even if she had shown up, all he had to do was say that he had no reason to believe she was alive, and he would walk away…"

"Can I just say that this is all so screwed up!" exclaimed Dave. "Your father, Sebby, has to be one of the biggest liars I have ever heard of! It's as if he believes that it doesn't matter who he hurts, just so long as he gets what he wants out of the situation. This man is the current State Attorney for Ohio, and yet, since before you were born, Sebby, he has been lying to the world at large. He deserves to be punished."

Sebastian sat in silence for a moment, and then nodded in agreement. "There's one thing I have to ask. Now that he is older, why has she never tried to get back in touch with Julian? No, actually, that is a stupid question. No matter what age you are, if your dead mom suddenly showed up at the door, you would run screaming all the way to the asylum. I actually feel so sorry for her… Thanks to him, she lost everything; her life, her family, her son…"

"She still thinks about Julian all the time, every single day. But it is too late now, and she knows it. Even though all of this is down to your father, if Julian ever found out, he would blame her for all of it, and never forgive her. He would see it as abandonment, and he would be right. She has made a new life for herself in Quebec, and she is happy enough. She stayed single, and retrained as a kindergarten teacher. She is also a foster carer. She believes that she betrayed her own child, but she believes she is atoning for that sin by doing all that she possibly can for the children out there that are less fortunate."

"I have to tell Jules she is still alive, maman," said Sebastian. Before she could respond, he continued, "I know exactly why I shouldn't. I know that the news will screw with his mind in ways I can only imagine; I mean, for the over 20 years, he has thought that she is dead and gone. He grew up without her love and affection, and we both know that his relationship with you was coloured by that angst. Maybe it would be better if I said nothing; but then I think to myself, what if the situation was reversed? If I thought that you were dead, and then Jules found out that you were alive, then I would want to know. I would want my mother back in my life, because no matter how much anger I felt towards you, over what I believed you had done, I would still love you, deep down. Sons and mothers - they are always close…"

"He's right, ma'am," said Dave quietly. "My own mother disowned me for being gay; when I tried to kill myself because of it, she told me as I lay in my hospital bed that it was a pity I hadn't succeeded. But if she walked through that door right now and told me she was sorry, I wouldn't hesitate to forgive her, because I still love her. Plus, we also have to consider Sebastian's relationship with Julian. They are just getting back to the kind of closeness that two brothers should have after a long separation forced upon them by their father. If Seb says nothing, and they Julian finds out somehow that he knew, it would destroy the trust on which all good, profound relationships are built. He has to tell him - Julian may never wish to see her again, but he has to be given the choice in the matter. It is only right and fair."

Eloise sighed, and nodded. "You are both right, of course. I should not have spoken, but now that I have… He has to be told, but maybe it would be better coming directly from me. That way, we do not risk destroying his relationship with you, Sebastian."

"It's a nice idea, maman, but the only way that you could have got his phone number or address would be if I had given it to you, and why would I do that unless I knew what you had to tell him? No, it has to be me that does it, and there is no point in delaying the inevitable… Wish me luck…"

The call that followed was one of the hardest that he had ever been forced to make. As he pressed the button to make the call, he had to be honest with himself, and admit that he had no idea what he was going to say; how he could break it to him gently. As the phone rang at the other end, he closed his eyes and sighed.

"Hey, Bazzy! I thought that we had agreed that you would call me at midnight your time? Even I know that you are more than a few hours ahead of that!"

"We did, Jules, but something has happened; something big. I don't actually quite know how to tell you this, and I am scared that when I do, you may never speak to me again afterwards…"

"It can't be that bad! It's not…it's not Isabelle, is it?"

"No, it isn't her. She's fine, as far as I know. Trust me, this is life altering news that I have to give you Jules. I need you to stay calm, and if you aren't already doing so, go and sit down for me. Maybe pour yourself a stiff drink… Ok, I was at work today, and I turned round, and there she was. My maman."

"Your mom was in New York! That's…wait, why isn't she in Paris?"

"That's just it; she doesn't live there anymore, and hasn't done so since 6 months after she sent me home to the States. Father knew, but never saw fit to inform me."

"Now that doesn't surprise me at all!"

"She lives in Montréal, and she is in New York for a conference. She's here with me now, and she says hello."

"We were never that close, to be honest, but I am pleased for you, little bro."

"There's more, Jules, and this is the hard bit. Father started his lies to us a lot earlier than we ever gave him credit for. He started before I was even born. He lied to you, my mom, and the world. I know this, because last year, my mom met someone by chance in Montréal. Jules, I have to tell you this, and I can only hope you will forgive me… There was no car crash in Quebec…"

"No car crash in Quebec - what on earth do you mean by that?"

"Father lied. He was desperate for a divorce, desperate to ensure your mom would not tell the world about his philandering ways and ruin him. She wanted a divorce, but she didn't want you caught up in it all. Dad conned her, made promises. And when an unidentified woman crashed her car in Quebec, and died in the inferno… Jules, it wasn't her. It wasn't your mother. By the time she found out what he had done, the funeral had already taken place…"

"I don't… Look, she is dead, Bazzy! There was a funeral, a coffin, the works. I remember it all like yesterday! Are you seriously telling me that my mom is still alive; that it was some complete stranger we buried and I sobbed over? Are you telling me she is still alive, and that in all the years since, she didn't once feel enough for me to get in touch? If she was alive, then she would have! She would never have left me!"

Sebastian cringed as he heard the tearful notes in his brother's voice. He could feel tears of his own falling too, as he continued. "How could she come back to you, Jules? The whole world thought she was dead and gone, and the only person that knew any different was our beloved father! Plus, if she had shown up, after you had come to terms with her death, how would you have felt? Think about it. If she had just appeared on the doorstep one day…"

"I would have screamed the house down," said Julian, in a whisper. "It would have left me traumatised for life. Oh, Bazzy, is it really true? Are you really saying that after all these years, she is still alive? That it was all a lie told to me by a wicked, evil, calculating man that you and I have the great misfortune to be related to? That he has deprived me, for the whole of my life, more or less, from the love and affection of my mother? Of course he has, he did the same to you; and he has tried to destroy me in other ways, time after time…"

"Yes, Jules, your mom is alive. My maman knows where she is. I am sure, that if you want, she can tell you where you can find her…"

There was a pause, and then Julian replied in a hushed voice. "I would like that, but not tonight. My brain feels as if it is about to explode, if I am being completely honest with you. It's as if all I thought that I knew about everything had just been turned on its head. Dad was always so distant, so uninterested when we were kids, and he was always the same; my mom, she was the whole world to me, because she was the one that was always there; that cared; that loved me. I get why she left him and his womanising ways, and I understand why she didn't want to drag me through all the mire of a divorce case… I just wish that the moment that she finally realised she had had enough of him had come when she was at home in Ohio, because then she could have taken me with her…"

"I guess that is what I thought too, when it all went wrong the second time, but that did not exactly turn out for the best. You are talking to the prime example of all that can go wrong when parents split up. Plus, from a purely selfish point of view, if it had all happened in Ohio, and she had taken you away, then I would never have known you, and I would have been deprived of the big brother that I often needed so badly. It would also have been curtains for Bugs…"

Julian chuckled lightly at that. "That's true, I guess, Bazzy. I would never have had you in my life either. I am thinking that a spot of therapy might not go amiss in the new year… All the same, I am glad that you decided to tell me what you knew. It would have been so easy to say nothing, and hope the truth never came out, but you chose to risk telling me the truth, in the knowledge that it could destroy our relationship as brothers. All I want to say is that I love you so much, little bro. I know you love me, because you told me. I can't wait to get to New Jersey, so that we can spend more time together…"

"I can't wait for that either, Jules."

"Right, so whilst I am on the line, pass me over to your mom. I'd like a quick word, just to apologise for being so nasty towards her for all those years. It wasn't fair of me to take out all of my anger on her, and I realise that now. So I need to say sorry…"

Sebastian passed the phone to his mother, who accepted it; he then just sat quietly on the sofa. Dave came to it by his side, and placed a protective arm around him. "I take it that you and Jules are still ok? That normal fraternal relations still exist, even after you dropped the bombshell?" he whispered.

"Yeah, we are still good. He thinks that he will need therapy; the way I feel right now, he should wait until he is over here on the east coast, and we could try and find someone that does a family discount…" said Sebastian, with a half smile. "I want my father to pay for all of this, Dave. I need him to know that Jules and I know the truth, and that as such, he will need to tread a lot more carefully around the pair of us. Maybe I should make his New Years for him, just as Pam Anderson made her husband's for him with a set of divorce papers."

"I agree, as long as you aren't too spiteful - and I wouldn't mention the first Mrs Smythe yet either; leave the pleasure of revealing that truth to your brother…"

"True. I shouldn't have all of the fun…" he looked up, and saw that his mom had hung up the telephone, and was now crying. "Maman, are you ok?"

"Yes, my beautiful boy, I am. He told me that he was sorry; that he was grateful to me for giving him the chance to reconnect with his mom, but asked me if I could call her, and give her his number, which I can do, of course… I feel that is should do it now, but it might be far too soon for him and for her, for that matter."

"It might always be too soon," said Dave suddenly, " so I say that there is no time like the present. What better way could there be to start a New Year than to make a phone call that you have only ever imagined making? What better way than to receive a call that was totally impossible to even conceive of a few moments ago?"

"You have a valid point young man. Your husband is quite smart, as well as devastatingly handsome, Sebastian. To that end…." Eloise pulled out her own phone, and made a call to Quebec…

In less than a quarter of an hour, the phone once more started to ring in a small place known as Paradise, Las Vegas. Julian Smythe, still crying from his shock news, would pick up the phone, not registering the international number on the caller display. In a voice still choked with the tears that he had been unable to stop since the moment he had been told by his brother, he greeted the caller.

There was a pause, and then an equally tearful voice said quietly, "You sound so grown up, Julian. I have missed you so much…"

Julian's first instinct was to fling the phone away across the room, and sob, cursing his brother for somehow doing this. He had told him he wasn't ready, damn it! But he knew he couldn't… He took a deep breath, and said "I have missed you so much too, mommy… This is all his fault. I hate him more now than I have ever hated anyone before… Please, are you happier now than you used to be? You always used to be so miserable; you never smiled when you thought that I wasn't looking. He hurt you so badly. I just need to know you are happy…"

"On the outside, yes, I am. Inside… There hasn't been a single day in over two decades when I haven't missed my little boy. It broke my heart, and I just wish that…"

"Me too, mommy. This isn't going to be easy for either of us, but I want - no, need you back. Because I never, ever stopped loving you, and I never will. I love you so much, mommy…"

"I love you too, son…"

Then a mother and son were both sobbing on the phone, in pain, but with a hope in their hearts that maybe they could repair the damage, and one day, sooner rather than later, be in each others arms again…


	79. Last minutes of a year

**Last minutes of a year.**

As a son reconnected with a mother that he had believed to be dead and gone over the telephone long distance, Sebastian sat quietly in his living room in Murray Hill, glad that things had gone so well with his brother. It would have been no surprise to him if Julian had taken the news badly, and had lashed out in his anger at him. When he thought about it, his brother had seen quite a few changes in his life this year, what with his return, and now his impending move across the country. Still, that move would place him closer to his mother as well as him, he now realised; and there would also be a certain Ms Wright in the vicinity. He looked up and across the room he saw his beloved maman and his husband chatting quietly, getting to know each other. He had had quite the year too, all things considered. This time though, all the events of the year had been good, unlike the last three years; no blackmailing psychopaths, no courtrooms, no friends dying before their time. He was a husband; a brother; an uncle, and now that his mother was back, a much loved son. He was so pleased to have his mother back, the woman whose love and affection he should never have been deprived of for so long. He knew what he needed and wanted to do right now. Maybe it wasn't exactly the best idea in the world, but it would make him feel a heck of a lot better…

"It might not be the wisest of decisions, and you will need to choose your words with a degree of care, but I have to agree that he deserves it. What he has done to you, Julian and your respective mothers is callous and he must be held to account." Sebastian grinned and turned his eyes to the seat next to him on the sofa, where he knew that Wes would be sitting. Sure enough, there he was, toying with a gavel, looking for all the world like an off duty judge. And yet, there was something different - he looked a little more care worn than usual… "You have no further need to be careful in all that you say," Wes continued, "You are financially independent of him after all; but I would still suggest a little caution nonetheless."

"Basically, you can tell him that you know his dirty secrets, that Julian does too, and you might just let the whole world know as well if he pushes you too far," came another voice on his opposite side. It then continued, to his shock, with the words, "It is exactly what that asshole deserves!" As Blaine admonished Kurt, Sebastian heard Wes laugh. For once, he decided that he would actually follow someone else's advice.

"Right, it is New Years, and we have much to celebrate. Maman, Dave and I were planning on heading to the diner to see in the new year with friends, and I insist that you join us. I want all of my oldest friends to finally meet me glamorous mother. Don't even try and protest; we are doing this. Firstly though, I need to make a quick call to someone who deserves to know exactly what 2016 will be bringing to them. I am in just the right frame of mind to make a quick call to daddy dearest…"

"I don't know if that is such a good idea, Sebby. I'm sure that your mom would agree that it might be wise to hold off until tomorrow," said Dave.

"Actually, I have no opinion one way or another on this," said Eloise. "He needs to do this, and it is not going to be a pleasant call whether he waits or not. It might actually be a good idea to get it over with and draw a line under it before the year ends."

"That is my thinking exactly, maman. Leave him behind in 2015. Just stand by, ready to end the call for me if I get too out of control…"

He had to look the number up, so long had it been since he had spoken to the man that had partially been responsible for his existence. He dialled his home phone, and waited as it rang far away in Ohio. He was not all that shocked when the call went unanswered, and it went to his answering service instead. For a split second he thought about calling his cellphone instead, to have the pleasure of hearing his voice as he told him the truth; but then he realised that a message would be just as good. The prospect of actually talking to that sleazeball didn't fill him with joy at all…

"Father, it's Sebastian. I called first of all to wish you the kind of new year that you deserve. Strange words, but they fit. I want you to know that I am now a very happily married man, living the dream here in New York with my husband, in spite of all of your efforts to ensure the contrary. I thought that it was bad enough when I discovered what you had done to Jules; yes, I know all about how you told him to stay away from home because he got a girl pregnant. I've met his son, he's wonderful, but well, that is your loss. I thought that was awful, but then a funny thing happened today - I was at work, and guess who walked in? My maman… So, I discovered that all this time I thought she was in Paris, and didn't care, she was actually in Quebec; and you knew and never told me! She had given you her phone number to pass on to me, and you never did! But here is the best bit. My mother told me a funny little story about a woman she met in Canada. I mean, what were the odds of her bumping into your supposedly dead first wife in a store in Montreal? Yes, I know all about your bigamy. So, after that, I felt obliged to tell Julian everything, so expect another call! Anyway, I hope that you enjoy tonight with whatever tart you are out with, because I have a funny idea that 2016 is going to be a year that Ohio's State Attorney comes to regret! Happy New Year, Daddy!"

Sebastian hung up and turned to face his mother and husband. "Knowing you as well as I do, Sebby," said Dave, "that was quite restrained and dignified. I hope that you realise that he will be in touch with you at some point, probably as soon as he hears that message?"

"Oh, I am aware of that, but he will be out of luck if he is under the impression that I will even take his calls anymore. As far as I am concerned, our relationship is well and truly over. I have never felt like anything other than an inconvenience to him in any case for the last few years, so I am pretty sure he will not be devastated that we have come to a parting of the ways. It will be the same with Julian; ever since he provided him with an unexpected grandson, father had not been an important fact in his life or decision making. What will worry him is that now that his two sons have knowledge of all the things that he kept hidden from us, will we take our revenge and disclose them, and harm his reputation? Bigamy is a crime, after all, and he has committed it twice, given that he is on wife number three. If she ever finds out, then he will be doomed. She will sue him dry. After all, she has been paying out for a divorce that she does not even need."

"It would be what he deserves! What I ever saw in him all those years ago I do not honestly know, Sebastian. Our marriage was a disaster, built on a lie, from day one; the only good thing that came out of it was you. True, you may well have driven me to distraction at times, especially when you started to act up in Paris, but that was only you showing everyone how unhappy you were with the entire situation. I was so caught up with my work that I forgot that I needed to be your mom. I hope you can forgive me, I would like to try and repair the rift that we have between us."

"I'd like that very much, if truth be told, maman. I have missed you, and I did act like a spoilt brat in Paris. I am sorry that I upset you then, but I am a completely reformed character now."

"I can see that. Finding Dave was obviously very good for you."

"Anyway, time is marching on! Let's get our coats, and head for the Spotlight."

At the diner, Thad was still standing behind the counter, thinking about all that had taken place that day. A glance at the clock told him that Albert would be on his way to Italy by now, and that in just a little over an hour, the reputation that the Montgomery family had spent decades building up would be shattered as the revelations of their misbehaviour went viral. Wes had left not long after his uncle, saying that he needed to be elsewhere for a while, but as he left, he promised Thad that he would return in time for midnight, so that they could share a chaste kiss and a hug, all that they were allowed. It was enough for Thad though; even that little bit of contact was infinitely preferable to none at all. He also knew that Wes would be the only one of the angels that he would see that night; Kurt and Blaine would make a brief appearance in Washington DC, where Burt and Carole were attending a party organised by Séamus and Becca at their home just outside the city. Trent and Rory would be there too, along with the Bernsteins and the O'Hara clan, including Luke and Duncan.

Those two young men had debated long and hard over attending the party, as there was a big part of them that wanted to go and stand in Times Square and watch as the ball dropped, then celebrate with the other residents of what was now their new home town. They had decided to go only after Jeff had pointed out to his cousin that they could always head to Times Square next year; there was no great rush. Ironically that was exactly where Nick and Jeff would be heading that night, accompanying a group of new residents. Seth had been curious about going, and had been keen when Luke and Duncan had mentioned it at first. When they decided to go to the party, they felt guilty about letting him down, particularly after all that happened at Thanksgiving, so they had asked if Nick and Jeff would mind taking him instead. Once they had agreed to it, Nick was asked quietly at the Law Library by Mason if he could come too, along with his girlfriend Jane and his friend Roderick. Nick had agreed with no hesitation, and so it was that after a Christmas back in Ohio, where Mason had been reunited with his sister, he had headed back to the city with a big night out to look forward to. It would also give him a chance to make formal introductions between his two older friends and Seth. After all, the two of them had hung out together several times since Thanksgiving, and they had grown close. The moment that the new friendship had been mentioned innocently by Luke to Nick, he had turned to Jeff, and both of them had instantly sensed a new bromance in the air…

They had come to the diner to meet up, and they had asked Thad to join them; Michelle had told him that he could go, as she had more than enough staff on duty to deal with the amount of business. He had declined though, as politely as possible; he was not in the mood to go and stand in the midst of a crowd of people, waiting for the moment when 2015 came to an end. He still had all too vivid memories of the night two years ago, when he had been standing there with Wes right behind him, and in the crush of bodies they had been pressed together. He had thought at the time that the closeness had been an accident; that Wes had been pressed into him, with his arms around him, by sheer chance… Times Square was as a consequence one of those places where he felt a little less comfortable, where his lingering memories would stir up uncomfortable emotions. The diner didn't. Sure, he and Wes had been here in the Spotlight together on quite a few occasions, but they had been surrounded by their friends, and there had been no closeness. Here he could cope with his emotions; here there was far less chance of seeing any of his friends getting over passionate. He couldn't object to that - how could he? But seeing it made him a little jealous. He was good at keeping his emotions under check, but with all that had happened with Wes and with his brother in the last week, they were nearer to the surface. On top of that, he was feeling a little lonely. So the idea of standing in the chill of Times Square with two happy couples, even if he would have Seth and Roderick at his side, was an awful prospect, and he hated the fact he felt that way. So, no, he would stay here, by the coffee machine, and pray that there was no drama. Wes would come eventually to keep him and Michelle company. She too was alone that night; Ollie was working. Thad was happy at just how close they had become in a matter of days. In fact, he would say that one day, he and Michelle would be related by marriage; just not the one that he had always dreamed of…

Of course, his peace did not last that long. In what seemed like no time, it was after eleven; the door to the diner began to open more and more often; and it did so mainly to admit friends. Brittany and Santana had arrived first; both of them off duty, but determined to come and sing instead. They were followed by the Broadway contingent, so to speak; Rachel with Sam, and Cooper with Grace. They would not be able to stay too late, as they both had shows the following afternoon. They had both been invited to attend a gathering being hosted jointly by one of the big critics and June Dolloway, but they had turned it down. They would far rather spend their time with friends in the quieter surroundings of the diner, than schmoozing with a bunch of socialites.

The door opened next for Dave, Sebastian and a woman that none of them knew. Sebastian walked straight up to the spot where the previous arrivals were all sitting together, and beckoned Thad across from the counter. "Ok, so quick introductions. This is Thad; next to him is Cooper, my landlord and Broadway star, with his fiancée Grace; next we have Rachel and her boyfriend Sam; and finally we have Brittany and Santana. Guys, this is my maman, Eloise, who just happened to walk into The Strand today."

There was a moment of stunned silence, and then Thad recovered his manners. "Your mother…it is a great pleasure to finally meet you, ma'am. Sebastian was always talking about you at Dalton. Are you visiting from Paris for long?" That question was answered for them by the short, edited version of the story, which left them all shocked. They had all been given the impression that Eloise Beaumartin was a heartless monster; instead, she was a charming woman who left them all very impressed, particularly at the amount of love that she had for her son. Also very clear to them all was how much he loved her; and that she was the one that he took after, not his father.

By the time that the conversation was finishing at the diner, the midnight hour was approaching. In a dark bar in Princeton, Izzy and a slightly uncomfortable Ethan shared a table as they waited for the Preppy Boys to perform on the stroke of twelve. It was not exactly where Ethan would have chosen to spend the evening, but it was not nearly as bad as he had envisaged. He wished that he could be talking to Drew, and telling him all about it, but he was back in England; he had called him a few hours ago as the clocks there took the country into 2016. He would have to wait to share the story of the night until his best friend was awake once more. At least he had Izzy at his side. After the show, the four of them would be heading straight out to drive across country to Washington, to arrive in the early hours at the party at the Flanagans. They had been assured that the party would still be in full swing…

At the party in question, Trent and Rory had been keeping everyone entertained with song after song for nearly an hour, with the occasional contribution from Séamus. They were glad for the presence of Burt and Carole in the room, as otherwise the entire evening could have been slightly intimidating, given that both the Bernsteins and the O'Haras had been discussing the subject of grandchildren. Of course, the bulk of that conversation was directed at Séamus and Becca, but there had been a few glances in their direction too. Burt had made the point that they all needed to establish their careers first before they began to consider the subject of children, and that had lead to the inevitable discussion about how life had changed since they were young amongst the parents. It had been Carole that had begged them to sing something, and it had worked, creating a much more festive atmosphere. Luke and Duncan had also looked relieved at the change of subject, but they could not be persuaded to join in, claiming that neither of them was blessed with the golden voices of their cousins. Both Trent and Rory had been unconvinced, but in the end, it did not matter. They had heard them joining in with the chorus a few times, and it was clear that they had lied, but the main thing was that they were all having fun, and both Séamus and Becca were off the hook for a while.

In Times Square, Nick and Jeff had managed to find a spot for the six of them to stand with a good view of the ball; by luck, it was raised slightly, and so would ensure that they would not be jostled as much by the crowds that filled every available bit of space. The atmosphere was every bit as electric as it had been on the first time that they had come to the square, but this time their thoughts were less clouded by the fact of recent death amongst their closest friends. They stood arm in arm, watching the crowd around them and smiling happily at the delighted faces of the four young people with them, Seth having fitted in to the little group at once. It was clear that Mason and Jane were very much in love with each other by the way that they stood holding on to each other; by their whispered conversation; and by the fact that their eyes kept meeting all the time. At the same time, though, they did include Seth and Roderick in their chatter, and the two boys were also happily chatting together too.

"Do you think that they would even notice if the two of us just slipped away, Nicky?"

"Probably not for a while, my love… Then again, two years ago we would probably not have noticed if Wes and David had walked off and left us; this place can be pretty overwhelming the first time you come. We have to stay though, because it is almost time. It has been quite a year for us all, 2015. Two weddings, a business, a new family member…"

"…no deaths, at least not of friends," said Jeff quietly.

"That is true, my love. The only death this year for us was a good one."

"It was. I do feel better now that he is gone. And for once, my counsellor agrees with me on the subject. She says I am getting better."

"That's good. Mine is pleased with me too…" Nick pulled Jeff close, and kissed him passionately, causing him to blush. "Ok, so it is almost that moment. Time to say hello to 2016.…"

The words had hardly left Nick's mouth when they heard the words "Five, four, three, two, one…" coming from all around them. Then the ball dropped, and the air was filled with shouted greetings as overhead fireworks exploded. Nick and Jeff found themselves pulled into Seth's arms as he wished them a happy new year. Roderick was being hugged by Mason and Jane, as around them total strangers shook hands, and the first strains of someone singing _Auld Lang Syne_ could be heard. As Seth was grabbed by Mason for a hug, Jeff turned to Nick, and with a whispered "Happy New Year, my love!" he kissed Nick every bit as passionately as Nick had only moments before, not caring who in the throng saw them. As he had told his therapist, now that Gordon was gone, all the guilt and stress that he had felt over him and Hunter was gone; now he felt truly happy, and in the knowledge that he was surrounded by love, he didn't want to hide any of it from anyone ever again. He wanted the whole world to know he was successful, in love and so, so happy! For his part, Nick was only too happy to kiss his husband back. As Jeff had dealt with his demons, Nick had felt the strain he sometimes felt on himself decrease too. He was able to relax more, and try to get back to the fun side of life, which he had been forced to hide from ever since that day when Hunter had done his worst to them at Dalton. He couldn't help but feel that it was long overdue for him and Jeff to play one of their once notorious practical jokes on someone again…


	80. An Epic Start

**An Epic Start.**

Back at the diner, the door had been flung open when there were just a few minutes to go to reveal Artie, Kitty, Marley and Ryder. They had planned to see in the new year quietly at Kitty's apartment, so their appearance at the eleventh hour raised a few eyebrows. "What can I say?" said the young lady in question, "It just didn't seem right not be celebrating with all of you losers. However, there are far fewer of you here than I imagined…"

Santana shook her head, and laughed. "Well, Nick and Jeff have escorted the youngsters to Times Square, which is brave of them, but I am sure that they will head back here afterwards. As For Puck and Quinn, he couldn't get enough time off, so they will be celebrating alone in a hotel room in Virginia…"

"Well, as far as I am concerned, there are enough of our friends here to make it worthwhile," said Artie, "Plus, you guys will no doubt be tuning in to Mercedes' concert on the big screen…" There was general agreement; all of them were anticipating the moment, at 1am New York time, when their friend would appear coast to coast on national television, the time chosen meaning she was close to midnight all across the United States.

"Ok, people, it is almost time," said Sam, who had been watching the time tick down on the television screen. There was silence as they heard the countdown, and then cheers as the clock hit midnight, and another year began. Amidst the greetings, the hugs, the kisses and the handshakes, all of them reflected on the fact that exactly a year ago, Gunther had been about to take Santana aside and drop a massive bombshell. The news had left them all devastated that night, but it had turned out to be the best thing ever…

Wes had duly appeared in the dying seconds of 2015, and wrapped his arms around Thad, holding him close as the new year began. His appearance was barely noticed as everyone else was busy with greeting the others. Indeed, so tied up with the process were they all that they almost missed it. It was Cooper that spotted it, and gave Grace a nudge. She did not know quite how to react, but Sebastian, who had been wishing the two of them a bonne année, followed her gaze as her eyes widened, and without a second thought exclaimed "Oh…well this one has got a far bigger audience than the last one!"

That attracted everyone's attention. "Let's hope that it stays like this, and doesn't get more heated like the last time," said Artie, as around him the whole room now stared at the television screen, laughing and smiling….

Just outside Washington DC, the television had also been switched on after Trent and Rory had sung. Amidst the chorus of greetings, it was Duncan that noticed; he spun round and turned to Luke with the question "Is that…?" Luke immediately knew that it was, as did Trent, who burst out laughing as he realised that they had no idea what was happening. As for Burt and Carole, they just smiled, glad that the world had moved on so far that the station had not cut away and found a different shot…

In Mercedes' dressing room in L.A., David was also watching the live footage from New York. He had been unsuccessful in his attempts to get Mercedes to give him a kiss in recognition of the fact it was midnight there, her reply being that good things come to those that wait. He had pouted, making her laugh. His eyes had then drifted to the screen, and then… He had rubbed his eyes in disbelief at first, but no, it was… He called Mercedes over; she stared, and then laughed loudly, and promptly decided it would be churlish not to give in to David's earlier request…

Once the ball had dropped, and they had welcomed in the New Year, Nick and Jeff had rounded up their charges, and telling them to stick closely together, had begun to make their way downtown in the direction of the diner. It was a reasonable walk, but they knew the subway would be busy, and the service sparse; if they saw a cab, then they could hail it. As they walked, Nick felt his phone buzz. It was a message from Puck, which said 'As epic, but more PC than the last! Happy New Year Niff!' Nick responded at once with a return of wishes for 2016 to him and Quinn, and a query as to what was epic… When he got the reply, it made him pale for a moment, but then he smiled. He had not even noticed the TV cameras in the square, but he reasoned that there had to have been several there to cover what was, after all, a major national event…

"Nicky! Come on, we've got a cab!" came Jeff's voice, and Nick realised that he had zoned out for a few moments. As the driver drove the six friends crushed in the back of the cab in the direction of the Spotlight, he wondered if they all knew about it too, and what Jeff's reaction would be…. In the course of the cab journey, Nick's phone buzzed a few more times; each time, he quickly and discretely checked it. He had received messages from David, Trent and his grandmother. He knew instinctively what the first two would say, but the last one intrigued him. He opened it, and initially just smiled as he read her greetings and wishes for 2016, and her expressions of love from both herself and his grandfather. Then he read the last line, which was all about how his unexpected appearance of the television with Jeff had brightened up their night no end.

As Nick began to ponder if anyone that they knew had not just seen them on their TV screen, the cab pulled up outside the Spotlight, and they all spilled out onto the pavement, glad to be back in the fresh air. As Jeff went to pay the driver, the four youngsters headed for the door of the diner. Nick promptly took his chance, and held Jeff back for a second. "Jeffie, before we go in, there is something that I need to tell you. It is quite important, and I think you should know all about it before we go in and join the others."

"What is it Nicky? No-one is in trouble, or hurt, are they?"

"No, it isn't a bad thing, it's just that things might be a little uncomfortable for us in there tonight. You see, we kind of forgot that these days, there are television cameras everywhere, particularly at big events, and we were standing in quite a prominent spot… Sometimes, those cameras will film something by accident, like a couple caught up in the excitement of the moment enjoying a passionate New Year kiss in the midst of a crowd of celebrating people…"

Nick stopped, and watched as the realisation dawned on Jeff. "Oh, Nicky! Are you telling me that when you and I kissed each other after midnight…"

"We did it live for a coast to coast television audience."

"And everyone saw us?"

"My grandmother texted me to tell me it was the highlight of the evening for them…"

Jeff looked at Nick's serious face, and couldn't help himself; he burst out laughing, and moments later, Nick joined in, relieved that Jeff had taken the news so calmly. "Ok, Nicky, let's get this over with, the sooner the better. We could even give them a repeat performance right now, given that half of our friends are staring out of the windows of the diner right now…" Nick glanced over at the window and saw that Jeff was right. "So," whispered Jeff, "shall we give them the repeat performance they all so obviously want…?" Before Nick could even respond, Jeff's lips were on his again, and as he relaxed into the kiss, he was grateful that the windows of the diner had glass that was thick enough to almost completely muffle the cheers and wolf whistles coming from inside the building.

Eventually they broke apart and stepped inside hand in hand; they had to, as it was chilly, and they were causing a minor distraction to passing traffic. Nobody said a word as they stepped in, they just smiled - until Santana said "Wanky!" loudly, and set them all laughing, including the two young men. With that it was more or less back to normal as the two 'TV Stars' were escorted to a seat by Rachel, who then, once they were seated, pointed out that they were now trending on Twitter under the phrase _#TimesSquareGayKiss_. Nick blushed furiously, and was grateful when Grace came over to pull him into a hug, as Cooper did the same with Jeff.

"So, the general consensus in the media is that it shows how the nation has changed for the better in the past few years; and how this moment befits a modern nation where gay marriage is legal in every state. Someone has started a campaign to have you identified and guest on _The View_ or _Ellen_ ," announced Thad. "Naturally, none of us will divulge your identity, unless of course you would like us to…?"

"NO!" came two voices in unison, much to everyone's amusement.

"All we want is a quiet life. It was bad enough when everyone thought I was the hot young new fashion designer," added Jeff.

"Ok, the subject is officially closed," said Thad with a smile.

"Even although the moment is now available on Youtube," said Kitty, pushing her phone in front of Nick and Jeff's faces, and playing it for the benefit of the two people who definitely would not have been able to see it. After that moment, things quickly settled back down, as they all remembered that there were only a few minutes until Mercedes would grace the TV screens just as Niff had done an hour before. She had of course had time to prepare for it, unlike them; her appearance would be flawless. There was still time for Sebastian to quickly introduce Nick and Jeff to his mother, whose appearance was quite a surprise for them. After all that he had been through, and from all he had said about her, they had been expecting a woman of much harder appearance. Her warmth and smile made them both like her from first sight. The fact that Sebastian seemed happier than ever before did help them to form that opinion. They only hoped that now she was back, she would stay in his life. If he lost her again, they knew he would fall apart, and they did not want to have to pick up the pieces.

Nick and Jeff were not the last of the friends to arrive at the Spotlight that night; that fell to Mike and Tina. He had been invited to perform with the City Ballet at a special gala performance at the Lincoln Center, and he had eagerly accepted the chance, knowing that it was at least in part an audition for a future role within the company. Rehearsals had been short and intense, but Mike had enjoyed every moment of them, particularly when the director of the show had singled him out for praise on his performance in front of long serving members of the cast. The audience had been every bit as appreciative, applauding loudly at the close of the show just before midnight. There had been a small meet and greet session afterwards, and Tina had stood and waited quietly as around her people discussed the performance, many of them singling out the new dancer in the corps, whose every move had been a delight to watch. She was positively beaming on Mike's behalf as she waited for him to appear, knowing that his first act upon entering the room would be to come and kiss her, before enveloping her in a tight hug.

Her smile broke slightly when she observed a face on the other side of the room; the scowl which she proceeded to give June Dolloway would have been fatal if looks were indeed able to kill. Mike appeared at just that point, saw where Tina was looking and knew exactly why she felt the way that she did. "She is not worth a moment of our attention, my love," whispered Mike as he took Tina into his arms. "She is nothing to us; all that matters is that you and I are happy, and will continue to be in 2016." As he then proceeded to kiss her, those around them smiled broadly, revelling in talent and young love. Then as they parted, they began to make their way towards them, eager to greet the talented new dancer who it was rumoured would be joining the corps full time in the very near future.

Mike and Tina might have been the last to arrive, walking in just before Mercedes appeared on the screen, but they were greeted with warmth and affection. They knew nothing of course of Niff's new found fame, and were virtually forced by Kitty to watch it immediately on Youtube. It was then that the announcer on the screen informed them that the show was running behind schedule, and it would be at least ten minutes until Mercedes appeared. There were groans of disappointment, but someone knew that it gave them an opportunity….

They were all stunned when Santana attracted their attention, assisted in doing so by a well timed use of Mr Bangy by Thad. "If I might just have a few moments of everyone's attention," she began.

That caused Sebastian to turn to Dave and hiss "Worry… She is being overly polite…"

"Meerkat," said Santana, "has no-one ever told you that it is rude to whisper? Now, as most of you will recall, I stood in this very spot at about this time, exactly a year ago, and told you all that Gunther had decided to sell the diner. If I recall, Jeff looked as if he was about to cry; Mike looked horrified, and as for my beautiful fiancée, her devastation was complete. Then I told you all what we had been offered, and so began a great adventure… That is not why I am up here right now, though. Today, I wish to make an announcement of a very different nature. As the Warblers amongst you will know, the last Friday of May is traditionally graduation day at Dalton Academy. I, as the first appointed honorary female Warbler, can attend the ceremony if I wish, as all alumni Warblers can, and often do. This year, I would suggest that we all do, Warblers and New Directions alike. Not for the ceremony itself, but for the event that will take place afterwards at the main staircase. You see, I have invoked my right as a 'Warbler' and so, on that final Friday in May, Brittany and I will be getting married…"

If Santana had intended to continue, she was not given the opportunity, as her words were drowned out by cheers from every corner of the room. To the shock of them all, the person that looked the most surprised by the announcement was Brittany, who was frozen in shock as she stood by Artie and Kitty. "She didn't tell you, did she?" Artie whispered to the girl that he had always felt so close to, and all she could do in reply was shake her head, tears running down her cheeks. "Go and join her," he continued. "Dalton is quite a fairytale venue - didn't someone we know always refer to it as Gay Hogwarts? I bet it will look absolutely stunning as a wedding venue…"

Brittany nodded, her head now filling with images as to just how perfect it was all going to be. If she was lucky, and asked him, maybe Kurt would design a wedding dress for her, and she was sure that if he did, then Jeff would copy it out for her. Of course, he would have to design one for Santana too… By now she was up on the stage, and she fell into Santana's arms, to the cheers of their friends, being pulled close at once. "You can have whatever you want," Santana whispered. "Doves, Unicorns, a horse drawn carriage. I chose the venue, so you can choose the theme. By the way, Kurt told me to tell you that he is already working on our wedding dresses. I can guarantee you one thing - this is going to be the happiest day of our lives…"

It was in the early hours of 2016 when the party finally wound down. Such had been the excitement over Santana's announcement that those in the Spotlight had almost missed the start of Mercedes performance on the television. It was indeed lucky that it had been delayed a little by the overrun of the previous artiste, who had a massive ego and a reputation for being extremely difficult, to put it politely. They had only returned their attention to the screen when her name was being announced. As they watched, they were all fully aware that in a house near Washington DC, this performance was also being eagerly watched by some of their closest friends. Indeed, the only people that missed seeing her perform live were the four people that were travelling in a car from a bar from Princeton to that family gathering in DC. Nonetheless, though they missed seeing the moment that one television critic would describe later as the moment Mercedes Jones' path to superstardom began, they were listening to it as it was being broadcast on the radio too. Her choice of songs for the event were memorable, and her voice left them all transfixed and full of praise, even Rachel. Those watching all caught a glimpse of David too as he stood at the front of the crowd, his heart clearly bursting with love and pride at all he was witnessing at that moment. His face gave it all away to them. Then, at the end, she dedicated her final song to all those people who were no longer here in person this New Year's Eve; to those family and friends who had been lost, and who might just be listening wherever they were now. Then with a smile, she added that it was also for those two young men in New York that Twitter was going into meltdown over. At the Spotlight, Thad burst out laughing first, as Nick and Jeff blushed bright red. All in all, the evening had been a memorable one for so many people.


	81. The Montgomery Implosion

_Before I start, I have to let you all know that this particular part of the saga is coming to its close. I have been struggling for time to write recently, and as a result, there will be a gap until the next part commences. Don't worry, it will come, hopefully before the end of this year, but I felt that there was a big event coming up in the USA that would have an impact on this tale, and it was best to wait a little. Anyway, on with the show; thanks as always for reading!_

 **The Montgomery Implosion.**

On the first day of 2016, everyone was a little later in rising than normal, with a handful of exceptions. The first day of a new year was, after all, not a holiday for everyone. Jeff, Mike and Sam all had to head into work at the diner at some point during the day; Cooper and Rachel had their usual performance schedule to adhere to. The Law Library was closed though, as were the offices of Grace's firm, and Sebastian did not have to go to work at The Strand either; he could go and cheer on his husband as he played later that day instead.

One other group of people that were working - indeed these days, were never off duty it seemed - were the news media. News they say travels fast, and never more so when it was a piece of scandal. It was Grace, a habitual early riser that came across the story first as she drank a glass of orange juice and quickly scanned the _New York Times_ website. She read the short story, and then reread it. Then she headed out quickly to the nearest drugstore to see if the story had broken early enough to make the print edition, and found that it had - just. There was a tiny article, but she knew instinctively that the story would command much more space in the weekend editions of the papers tomorrow; quite possibly half of the pages of _The Boston Globe_ , and its rival, _The Boston Herald_. She also had a feeling that there was an element of the story that had been deleted, or was still waiting to be revealed. She did not know if anyone else would see the story, and it was after much internal discussion on the way home that she decided that her best course of action would be to make a call to Nick and let him know, so he could check it out. He could also then be the one that broke the news to Thad…

As it happened, that would not be necessary. Thad was already awake, and fully acquainted with the coverage, having known it would be there. He had gone to the _Boston Globe's_ website as soon as he woke up. It would appear that with the hard evidence in front of them, and with it also being in the hands of the media, the police in Providence had spared no time in going for their man. Their colleagues in Boston had been alerted and the first cruisers had rolled up in front of the Montgomery mansion a little before 1am, to find the family's annual New Year Ball in full swing. As the officers deliberated on how best to approach the situation, given that they had been informed that the Chief of Police was a guest at the event, another couple of cars had rolled up, bringing with them representatives of both the CIA and the IRS, and another two arrest warrants for Randall Montgomery Senior, and his wife. After a discreet warning to their boss, the police made ready to enter, and after both he and the Mayor of Boston had made their way out, the police entered. In front of the great and the good of half of Massachusetts, including amongst others the President of Harvard University, and the editors of both the _Globe_ and the _Herald_ , the three members of the Montgomery family present had been arrested, on charges ranging from arson to gross financial misconduct, via obstruction of justice. It was an instant scandal amongst Boston society. It also put the unexplained absence of Albert that evening into context for the rest of the family.

Thad was still at the computer reading the coverage and was so engrossed in it that he did not hear the front door open and Ollie step in, off duty at last after a hectic night in the ED. He was able to make his way through the apartment and stand right behind his brother without attracting his attention, so absorbed was he in the article. He glanced at the screen himself, and started to read - and that was enough to make him speak at last, causing Thad to nearly jump out of his skin in the process. "Hey Thad! Happy New Year!"

After he had recovered from his fright, Thad replied with the words "Happy New Year to you too Ollie. Firstly, never creep up on me like that again please. Secondly, it isn't exactly a good start to the year if your surname happens to be Montgomery. I feel kind of guilty about this, but seeing all of this makes me happy. It is payback for Wes, after all that he suffered at their hands. I mean, I knew that this was going to happen, but all of this coverage…" He noticed that Ollie was now looking at him curiously, so he shut down the laptop, and said "Ok, I am going to go and make us some scrambled eggs and toast, and then, before I head you off towards your bed, I will tell you all about the unexpected visitor that we had at the Spotlight yesterday, and how he fits in to this whole sorry tale of neglect and criminality."

Nick had just woken up when his phone began to ring. However, it was not Grace on the line; she was beaten in her bid to break the news to him by Trent. He had been woken up not long before by Burt, who after apologising for waking him so early, repeated to him what he had been told by a friend in Congress who represented the Boston area. He had known all about Wes, and about his links to Burt and his family, and so he had decided that he should fill him in on the events before he read all the salacious gossip that would fill the press instead. Burt had thanked him, and decided that he needed to pass the news on… Nick listened in stunned silence, much as Trent had done just a few minutes earlier, as his friend filled him in on the basic details that he would find splashed across the internet, and then the one fact that he would not find there; that Albert Montgomery, the youngest living son, had flown out of the country from JFK the previous night, and as he was not linked to any of the allegations that were being made, the speculation was that he had been the one to feed the information to the authorities.

"Wow!" said Nick in a low voice. "Wes always said that Albert had a softish spot for him; maybe he knew that when it mattered, he would be the one that would stand up and hold his family to account."

""It does seem likely, yeah. After all, the authorities are not chasing after him, and rumour has it that as his big brother was dragged away by the police, he was yelling to anyone that would listen that it was all Albert's fault."

"I hope that this doesn't impact upon people's memories of Wes. We need to be there to defend his name, to remind the world that he was good, truthful and kind. Do you think that Thad knows? If it comes to it, then I am prepared to be the one that steps up to tell him…"

"I am so glad that you just said that, Nick, because the thought of having to do it filled me with dread! Then again, if Wes knows what is going on, then he will probably have been to see Thad and tell him himself."

"If Wes knows, how is he handling this, more to the point… I know that he didn't like his family that much, but family is family."

"I know," said Trent. "I mean, if this story was about your dad…"

"I'd be feeling it," said Nick. He knew that he was right to be worried. All of this had to be affecting Wes somehow…

His two boys would have been shocked to discover that Wes, whilst not exactly celebrating the downfall of his family (because that would be so unseemly for an angel of his position), was not exactly feeling that distraught about the news coming out either. Elizabeth had spoken to him quietly the night before on his return from his first trip to the Spotlight, and given him the benefit of her expert opinion; that the actions of his family in the past would not reflect on him, or be any impediment whatsoever to his progression. In fact, given that he had known about his parentage for a week and had done nothing to seek the revenge he would quite understandably want for the hurt that he was feeling was a big mark in his favour.

"Wait," said Wes, "you mean that you knew all week about what she said to Michelle? I thought that when no mention was made of it…"

"I was leaving it as a test of your resolve and character, Wes," Elizabeth replied. "You will not be my assistant forever; one day, you will be in my position, and the elders saw this as an ideal test of your suitability. You passed with flying colours. In any case, I also saw the whole affair from the Boston end of that terrible phone call to your dear cousin; we angels are always in the right place at the right time."

"I'm glad that this has happened to them now, though. Is that not wrong?"

"No, it is natural. As if the worry that you have for the man that you now know to be your uncle. Albert has also done the right thing, and that has been noted in his file. It has cancelled out some of the minor mistakes that he has made in the past, and so it is now likely that he will join us up here when he dies. He will not be in the same capacity as all of us, but you will be able to see him."

Wes nodded, and smiled. He was glad that somehow Elizabeth always seemed to be fully aware of everything that was going on. She was not just Kurt's mom, or even a good boss to him now; she was a trusted friend, and a useful guide to have in what was still often uncharted territory for him.

Now, as the story filled the news media, Elizabeth proceeded to give Wes one other piece of advice as they sat down to work that morning. "Those boys of yours are like a family. The news is out, and a handful of the earliest risers are already aware of the facts of what is going on from the media. They will all be thinking about you and how these circumstances will be affecting you. I would suggest that you make contact with Thad, and ask him to set up an emergency Warbler group chat on Skype. He can therefore pass on what he knows, and tell them all precisely how you are feeling. It will save you having to go and visit all of them in turn in the scattered locations that they are currently in. It is just a pity that we still do not have the technology for them to see you via the internet."

"You're right; it would be for the best of I organised something like that… It will be a cause of concern for them all - even Thad, and he knew it was coming! I will go and see David for myself first though. He is my best friend after all, and he deserves to hear it directly from me. Then, once he is clued in, we can do the group chat." Elizabeth nodded her approval, then couldn't help but smile as Wes settled down with his paperwork. He had his priorities right, that much was true…

By the time that David woke up in L.A., the news had spread like wildfire to every Warbler, even across the Atlantic to Drew in Oxford. There was general outrage at the actions of Wes' family, but great sympathy and concern for the well-being of their illustrious leader. Thad had found that his cellphone was buzzing red hot that morning; he had even found himself fielding calls from Gabriel, Connor and Louis, all worried about the effect that this news would have on the person that they all still heard from time to time. Thad kept his promise to Wes, and told all of them the same story; that Wes had found out the truth that was now splurged all over the press on Christmas Day, after his mother had drunkenly blurted out the family's darkest secrets to Michelle; and that it seemed as if Albert had been the one that had decided to put the story out. He mentioned nothing about the truth behind Wes' parentage.

His call to David was made just after midday in New York, by which time his friend was up and about in the west, still smiling from the success of the night before, when _#MercedesJones_ had managed to knock Niff off the top trending spot on Twitter within two minutes of her set starting. "Hey, Thad! Happy New Year!" he began as he answered the phone.

"Same right back to you, David, but that is not the reason why I am calling. To come straight to the point, we had a visitor at the Spotlight yesterday; Albert Montgomery. He's left the country now, but not before he lit the blue touch paper…"

"What do you mean?"

"It's all over the internet; the other three members of Wes' immediate family were placed under arrest last night, just as Mercedes began to wow the whole of the nation. Various charges, but the big thing that only you, me, Wes and Michelle know - it isn't out there, at least, not yet. I have a bad feeling though that Randall senior might just go for broke as his world collapses around him, and try and smear Wes' mother with that too…"

David sighed, and then replied, "So, I am guessing that an emergency group chat is in order? Gimme half an hour to get ready, and we will do this…" Thad agreed, and ended the call. He had no sooner rung off than David felt the now familiar draught, and turned to see Wes standing there, looking sheepish.

"I did plan on being the one to bring you up to speed on the situation myself, Davie, but Thaddie had beaten me to it."

"Yeah, he is getting more efficient all the time; it is a little bit unnerving to say the least at times just how efficient he is. So, I don't know if you heard, but we just thought of something. Your grandfather might decide to spill the beans about you in an 'I've got nothing left to lose' scenario. I know that your intention was that only Thad and I should know the truth amongst the Warblers, but if it does hit the media, and your biggest secret is revealed, then it will hit all of the boys unprepared, and that might cause a few issues…"

"You think that I should tell them all, don't you?" said Wes quietly. "Maybe it would be best for me to do that. It shows them all the horrible truth about the activities of the people I have the misfortune to call family, and how much of a factor my darling mother was in all of this… Thing is, they won't be able to see me or hear me over Skype, so the revelation will have to be delivered by either you or Thad. I will go and talk to him, see what he thinks."

David nodded, then said, "So, how are you Wes? Be honest with me…"

"It is still such a horrible thing to have to come to terms with, but now that I've had a week to get used to the idea, I can live with it. At first, I wished that I had been adopted, but then I realised that if I had been adopted; if Randall senior hadn't agreed to her demands…"

"You would never have come into any of our lives, and that would have been a very bad thing."

"Exactly. You, Thaddie and my boys are my rock, my family. As long as I have the respect of you guys, then I can deal with anything they throw at me. So, yes, let's be open and honest. Let's tell them all the truth about Randy…"

It was just over an hour later on the east coast when across the country Warblers stopped what they were doing, and signed on to Skype. At first the tone was joyful, as New Year greetings were exchanged, and Nick and Jeff were made to blush over and over again, but then with the familiar sound of the gavel, Thad called them all to order. He announced firstly that the purpose of the chat was to discuss a major issue concerning their illustrious late leader, and then shocked them all by announcing that such was the gravity of the situation, that he had taken the unprecedented step of allowing into the room for the first time three former Head Warblers, and the bulk of the New Directions. At that point, Gabriel, Connor and Louis all appeared on screen, the first of those sat with Mitch. Nick panned back on his camera in the loft to reveal that he was flanked by Mike and Tina; Jeff was joined on camera at the Spotlight Diner by Sam, Santana and Brittany. Two more cameras appeared, showing Artie and Kitty, and Puck and Quinn respectively. Mercedes was at David's side and Cooper and Grace sat with Sebastian.

"It must be serious!" Flint whispered to Beats as he sat with him, Ethan, Trent and Rory in the study at Séamus' house. "I mean, we know a little from everything that you told us Trent, but it must be far bigger than we all thought…." Flint suddenly stopped as Beats nudged him, and he turned back to the screen to see Thad glaring at him. Flint went bright red, and Thad couldn't stop himself smiling at his discomfort.

"So, anyway, now that Warbler Wilson has decided to pay attention again, I shall start. Given the grapevine in this group of ours, you are probably all aware that three members of the Montgomery family were arrested in the early hours of this morning. Randall Montgomery, Senior, has been charged with false accounting, fraud and theft; Randall Junior has been charged with arson and larceny; and our beloved Wes' mother has been charged with fraud, theft, obstructing the course of justice and several counts of intimidation." He paused, and looked out at the shocked faces in front of him, before carrying on. "We have it on good authority that the information that lead to all of these charges was provided to the authorities by Albert Montgomery, who has subsequently left the country, and I believe is now in the process of reuniting with a young lady that he fell in love with whilst at college. They were driven apart by the interference of his brother, Randy. You might be asking how I know all of this… Yesterday, I met Albert at the Spotlight Diner, where he had come to warn Michelle of his plans, and allow her to ensure that her parents were warned and able to be kept out of the whole debacle."

"You mean that you knew all of this was going to blow up?" said Nick in shock. "Did you warn Wes? Actually, scrub that question - he would have been there, wouldn't he?"

"Yes, he was. His reaction was much as you might expect. He believes that they all deserve it, because he is pretty certain that every one of the charges is true. He already had his suspicions that Randy had burnt down a restaurant; he was also certain that he only got away with it at the time because his mother did steal and then conceal the evidence file. He was unaware of the fact that his father's firms, Montgomery Holdings, had been running swindle after swindle for years, but when he thought about it, it didn't really shock him…"

"That's awful! Poor Wes!" said Brad, as he sat with Jasper in the apartment they shared in Chicago.

"It is - and I am afraid that it gets worse," said Thad.

"How can it!" said Santana. "His father, mother and brother all turn out to be crooks, and they've all been arrested. It doesn't get much worse…"

"Actually," said David, "that isn't actually the case, as it happens. Ok, what we are about to hear now can go no further than us. I need you all to swear on that, because it is explosive. If it gets out - well the consequences are horrible. So, again, this remains between us, and if anyone leaks it, I will be forced to set Santana on you…"

There was an outburst of laughter at that, but it was short, as they all saw how serious both David and Thad looked. "Oh, ha, ha, Thompson! But it is true; Thad just said as much."

"It is true that Wes' father and mother have been arrested, but not his brother; Wes does not have a brother," replied David.

There was confused silence for a few moments. After all, they all knew that Wes had two brothers. Then suddenly it dawned on both Nick and Trent simultaneously, their faces suddenly suffused with horror. It was the only possibility, but it was too awful to contemplate…

"Are you saying…" Nick began, and then shuddered to a halt, not wanting to even vocalise it.

"I think that what David is saying is the Wes' mother, father and grandfather have been arrested," said Trent in a part strangled tone. Around him, his husband and the three other Warblers looked absolutely horrified. The idea was insane…

"Yes, Trent," said David, "that is exactly what I am saying. Randall Junior is Wes' father, which makes Albert his uncle, not his brother…"

There was silence again as they all tried to process it in their heads. It was the most twisted thing that any of them had heard. They stared at each other, not wanting to believe it was even possible. The silence was suddenly broken as Gabriel began to retch, much to the concern of Mitch. Suddenly he was the centre of attention. It was bad, but that bad?

With a sigh, Thad spoke again. "I'm guessing that Gabriel has done the math. Some of you might not know this, but Randy is fourteen years older than Wes would have been…"

There was more retching, moans of disgust, and cries of "My God!", "That's just sick!" and, most commonly of all, "Poor Wes!"

"It's a clever cover up…" came one voice, and suddenly all attention turned to the source of those words. Kitty was staring at Artie in disbelief at how insensitive he had just been. Aware of all their eyes, Artie continued. "It is, when you think about it. I'm guessing that Wes' mother was behind it all. It covered up her illegal and frankly disgusting activities with a thirteen year old boy; avoided a major scandal for the Montgomery family; and in the process she got wealth and power for herself."

"Artie is right. He has hit the nail on the head," said Thad. "And he was right to say it out loud too. If it hadn't been done, then Wes would not have been around to form such a major part of all of our lives. He would probably have been raised by Michelle's parents, given that his mom would have been elsewhere. They would never have sent him to Dalton, and so none of us would ever have met him."

This was a sobering thought, and no-one glowered at Artie now for voicing his opinions. There was silence again, until Mike spoke from his seat by Nick. "I think we can also tell one other thing from the events that have taken place in the last few days. Albert must have cared for Wes, or he would not have hesitated to reveal the truth we have just been told. We should all be grateful for that…"

"You're right, he was always so kind to me when Randy wasn't around…" came a voice. Mike turned around to look for Wes, but could not see him anywhere in the loft. It was then that he realised that everyone else on camera was in the process of doing exactly the same thing, with the exception of David and Mercedes. In L.A., Wes smiled, then said "Well, it would appear that, once again, I am the proof that the ways of the angelic realm are altering to suit the modern world. I am the first angel to ever broadcast on Skype. I don't think that any of you, apart from David and Mercedes, can actually see me though…" There was much nodding of heads, as smiles decorated every face. "I discovered the truth about my parentage quite by chance at Christmas, and when the news was given to me, it knocked me sideways, that much is true. But then a very wise person pointed out to me that it doesn't change me. I am still the same person that I always was. This will not define me. I admit that from the moment I found out, I wanted them all to pay, and now, thanks to my uncle, I am getting my wish. He is the brave one here. If they ever discover where he is, they will hunt him down; my parents would want him to suffer for his actions. He will have a few years of safety before that happens though. The charges that they are facing cannot be bought out of; for a start, all of their cash and assets have been sequestered by the state. At least Bertie had the foresight to ensure that all of his cash was removed from the family accounts. Thanks to the actions of Michelle, her parents will also be left untouched by this, as her dealing with my mother have freed their livelihood from her nefarious influence. I am going to repeat this once more, and I mean every word. I am not going to apologise for saying it to anyone. They deserve all they get, and I sincerely hope that the judges show no mercy and hand down the maximum sentences possible."

"On that, I think that we can all agree," said Thad. "All that we can do now is watch and wait in anticipation, and hope and pray that Wes does not get pulled into the mire by his association with them."

"I think that we will all do anything in our power to ensure that that does not happen," said Gabriel. "I have a friend from college that works at _The Globe_. I can have a quiet word with them…"

"An excellent idea. All of us have to do whatever we can to protect him, as he would protect every one of us. After all, we all owe him such a lot," said Sebastian, whose comment was answered with nods and smiles.

The conversation then moved on. Wes called for order, and then congratulated Santana for finally setting a date, and on her selection of what was, in his opinion, the finest wedding venue in the whole of Ohio for her nuptials. The news was new to several of them, including Puck and Quinn, and it brought about an immediate lightening of the mood. Wes' statement was agreed upon by all of the Warblers at least, and promises of assistance with the preparations were swiftly made. Wes then moved on to congratulate Mercedes on her performance the night before, quoting the reviews that he had seen, causing the lady in question to blush. When he moved on to state that David was a very lucky man, and that it might well be time to create another honorary female Warbler, there was loud agreement. David was now the one that was left blushing, but it was short-lived, as Wes pointed out that the other thing mentioned by nearly every reviewer of the night's entertainment was a certain young couple enjoying another epic kiss. Thus it was the turn of Niff to blush and groan.

"It wasn't deliberate this time! We didn't know!" muttered Nick.

"I'm glad that it happened," said Jeff. "I want the whole world to know just how much I love my Nicky." Nick was left to blush even more furiously as all of his friends let out an awww at that statement.

Then the chat was over. With warm words, one by one they logged off, all of them offering Wes their love, loyalty and support as they did so. In the end, Gabriel and Mitch were the last to leave, the former telling Wes that he loved him like a brother, and that as far as he was concerned, Wes had so many 'brothers' that he didn't need a wicked former one like Randy around. His final words were an invitation to Wes to come and see him in Boston soon, as he would love to have a long chat and catch up with him. Wes agreed happily, and then he was left alone in the company of David and Mercedes.

"I knew that it would all turn out ok," said David. "Gabriel is right, by the way; you have all of us for family, so who needs them? Speaking of family, I should really call my mom. She will have seen the story by now, and I have a feeling that she will be happy - and terribly ashamed of herself for feeling that way! Then she will no doubt also want to pass on her congratulations to my beautiful girlfriend."

"I am sure that she will," said Wes, smiling at a blushing Mercedes. "I meanwhile had best be getting back to work. Thanks for being such good friends to me, both of you."

"It was no problem," replied David. He made his way over to Wes and pulled him into a tight hug, whispering "I will always have your back, my brother" as he did so.

Wes took his leave then, but did return to work as he had said he would. Instead, he made his way to a small house near Florence, Italy. He wanted to check that his uncle had arrived at his destination safely.


	82. Kittens and other Problems

**Kittens and other Problems.**

After the Skype chat was over, people returned to the normal pattern of their lives, still dwelling on the news. For most of them, the truth had been unimaginable, but for one of them it brought back memories of a day at Dalton when he had been confronted with a photograph and a birth certificate. Jeff was sure that the pain that Wes had to be feeling was similar to the pain that he had felt, only so much worse to bear. He had only had to endure the worst that his brother could throw at him for a few months; to discover that the person that had tormented you almost daily for most of your life was actually your father… He knew that Nick would be aware that the revelation would be stirring up his thoughts, and he was sure that when he returned home from work - and it would just be the two of them there as Mike was the one letting him away - he was sure that his husband would spend the evening looking after him. He would have cookies, and maybe even a mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream or marshmallows on the top. Caleb would come along and jump up on his lap, and curl up there, and he would be ok. He hoped that Kurt and Blaine would be taking good care of Wes too; he assumed that they and Finn would know after all. He was pretty certain of that fact. Angels just seemed to instinctively know when something was wrong.

He was still pondering on the subject when Mike walked in for his shift early, with Tina at his side, and told him to go home. There had been a couple of occasions in the run up to Christmas when delays on the subway had made Mike late for his shift, and Jeff had been the one to stay back and cover for him. Mike wanted to repay the favour whilst he could, and he knew like Nick that the news would have made Jeff a little uncomfortable. Jeff did not need to be told to go twice; it had been quite a quiet day, and he had been a little bored, although the lack of custom had given him the time he needed to make a few sketches. He grabbed his coat and hat, and headed out. As he walked up the street towards the subway, he was jostled by a woman carrying an empty cardboard box as she stalked out of what he now called Caleb's Alley. Despite the fact that she was in the wrong, she glowered at him and muttered under her breath as she walked away. Jeff shook his head, and carried on - until he suddenly realised that his sketch pad was still lying where he had left it on the counter. He knew that Mike would bring it home with him eventually, but he kind of wanted to work on it later, and as he was early anyway, he turned on his heel and headed back. As he did so, he saw the woman again, this time sticking a notice up in the window of the little corner store just along from the Spotlight. He shook his head again, and carried on.

It was only as he stepped back through the door of the diner, and saw Santana standing there holding out his sketch pad to him with a smile that it hit him. She had just walked out of that alley; and the notice that she had been putting up in the store window had been advertising tortoiseshell kittens for sale…

"I told them you'd be back," said Santana approaching him. Then she noticed that Jeff was miles away, and had a look on his face that disconcerted her. "Ok, something has happened, hasn't it. Tell me…"

"Yeah… I'm glad I came back; but for now, I really need help. I think that I might just have seen history repeating itself!" Jeff replied, his voice rising and his tone getting more frantic as he came to the end of his sentence. He explained exactly what he had just seen to Santana, and although she thought that there might be nothing in it, she also knew that the blond boy would not be satisfied or able to relax until they checked it out. She made him wait whilst she went to grab her coat; in the process of doing so, she bumped into Brittany and Mike, and she decided that more hands would be better. A minute later, having told Sam and Tina to mind the counter whilst they popped out, the four of them made their way back up the street towards the alley. Jeff and Brittany lead the charge, hand in hand, whilst Mike and Santana hastened along in their wake. Jeff paused briefly to point out the notice in the store window, then they headed on towards the alley. They paused at the entrance to the dimly lit passage, and could all see that there was only one set of footprints in the dirt that had piled up around the bottom of the dumpster. Jeff now headed straight back into the alley, with Brittany and Mike hard on his heels. Santana stopped for a moment; heading into an alley like this always reminded her of that horrible night… She dismissed those thoughts, and wondered if she should call Nick and give him a heads up. It was then that she was greeted by a familiar voice.

Isabelle Wright had been out for a stroll, and had decided she might head to the diner for coffee and cake, and had been surprised to see Santana standing there. Her curiosity was piqued further as she now saw that three of her colleagues were standing at the side of a dumpster. She asked what was going on, and was told… so it was that the online editor of _Vogue_ found herself standing at the side of a dumpster in a dark alley, where Jeff was once again dangling over the edge. They arrived just in time to hear Jeff curse - and then there came a tiny miaow, quickly followed by another…

"Darn. It really has happened again!" whispered Santana, as Mike hoisted himself up alongside Jeff, telling Brittany to wait on the ground.

Isabelle pulled out her phone, and whispered "I'm going to call animal protection. This needs to be reported."

As she was doing so, she saw Jeff handing Brittany a tiny scrap of fur, the sight of which made her fiancée cry. She stepped over to comfort her, only to suddenly find her own hands full as Mike handed out another tiny kitten…

Jeff was back on the ground by now, and as he helped Mike down, he began to cry too. "If Mike hadn't come in early, then I would never have seen her. If I hadn't left my sketch pad, I would never have seen the notice, and… It's the same, all over again. These two little guys are Caleb's brothers. She needs to pay for this! All I can think now is was Caleb the first? I hope he was, but…" Jeff's voice broke, and he started to sob. He was so glad when Mike, who was also in tears, stepped forward, and pulled him into a warm embrace. The thought of those potential poor little creatures suffering broke all of their hearts.

In the end, Santana made her call to Nick, and told him that he needed to come to the diner as quickly as possible. Nick's initial reaction had been panic, and she had to explain the whole situation to him to get him calm enough to leave the loft. Once she had done so, she looked at Jeff, who was vacillating from devastated and sad, to livid with anger in the blink of an eye. She was convinced that if it wasn't for the fact that she and Mike were there, then he and Brittany would be on their way to find and then kill the woman that had left the kittens in the dumpster. She was just as angry, and she had never seen Mike so het up in all the years she had known him, but they agreed with Isabelle; there were certain issues that you should leave to the authorities to deal with. Her call had been answered quickly, and after an initial reluctance on the part of the call handler, someone had been despatched to come and investigate. The mention of _Vogue_ and her assertion that Ms Wintour loved cats was always a great combination when trying to convince reluctant public servants to act. She was happy to wait in the alley with Jeff and Mike; Santana had decided to take Brittany back to the Spotlight, because she knew that she would be distracted from her thoughts of vengeance there. Jeff was still a total mess, and so it fell to Isabelle in the end to hold on to the two kittens. She wrapped them up in her scarf, to protect them against the chill in the air. There was no doubt in her eyes that the pair of them were related to Caleb either; they were every bit as cute as he was. She made up her mind there and then that it wasn't out of the question for her to keep a couple of cats at home, even if she was going to be at the office for the best part of the day. She could easily take them with her whilst they were still so young and needed attention in any case. All she really had to think of us what to call them…

The female animal welfare officer that arrived took one look at the two tiny kittens wrapped up in her designer scarf and fell a little in love with them too. She was galvanised into action. Jeff quickly told her the tale of everything that had happened, starting back on that cold March day when he had found Caleb, and his suspicions from that day onward. They all then walked to the store where the notice was now on display. After an initial reluctance, the owner was persuaded to give the official the address of the woman that had posted it. The official had gone in alone, as she could sense that the three witnesses were extremely angry, as she was herself, and the last thing she needed was them heading there with her.

As they stood outside and waited, a cab drew up and Nick emerged. He needed no prompting to immediately pull Jeff into a hug, knowing that was what his husband needed. He agreed on sight that the two kittens were just as adorable and sweet as Caleb, but he also knew that he had to say something straight away… "We will need to find them a good home, Jeffie. They can't come home with us this time; you know that and the reason why. Caleb is a sweet natured cat, but their arrival might make him jealous, and he might lash out and hurt them."

"Nick is right, Jeff" said Mike, speaking before Jeff could open his mouth to reply. "I think that one cat in the loft is enough in any case. The landlord might not be happy if we had more."

"And I happen to know someone that will give them a good home," said Isabelle, cutting in before Jeff. "Me. I fell in love with Caleb the moment I saw him, and if these two are his little brothers, and they appear to be, then we should get along just fine. Also I can take them both. That way, they will be together and will not pine for each other."

Jeff looked serious for a moment, and then said "I guess that would be for the best. I know that Brittany will be pleased with that solution too. All I want now is for that woman to be caught and stopped."

"And on that subject, we are all in agreement," said Nick, wrapping an arm around his husband. "I'm sure that she will be, and that they will make arrangements to take care of Caleb's mother and sisters too."

The lady from animal welfare returned at that point, and informed them that she was on her way to pay the woman that had dumped the kittens a visit. She was sure that there was CCTV in operation in the area around the dumpster, and thus they would be able to prove what she had done. Then she would be charged with animal cruelty, and banned from keeping any kind of pet ever again. She promised that she would call them and update them on her progress, and then took her leave. All that was left was for them all to head their separate ways. Nick took Jeff off in the direction of the subway, but not before he had said goodbye to the kittens. Mike and Isabelle walked back in the direction of the Spotlight, where they parted. Mike returned to work whilst Isabelle headed home, her two new pets being carried carefully in her arms. She had been told by Mike that she could expect a visit from Brittany within the hour, and that did not bother her in the least. She would need after all to sort a few things out to ensure the comfort of her new roommates. All she hoped now was that Julian Smythe was not allergic to cats…

When Nick and Jeff arrived back home, Caleb came to greet them as he always did. He ran to Nick first and entwined himself around his legs, then headed in the direction of Jeff. However, when he was a few inches away, he froze. He looked up at the blond boy with distaste for a moment, hoping that his glance would convey the betrayal that he felt. The evidence was clear; he smelt strongly of other cats, and not the tolerable smell of Lord Tubbington either. There was a hint of something familiar in that smell, though, and that was the only reason that he did not immediately stalk away, his tail held high.

"He knows, Jeffie. He can smell those kittens on you, and he clearly does not approve of it one bit! I told you that you needed to wash your hands well before we came home…"

"I know…and before you say it, this proves that you and Mike were 100% right about not being able to keep them."

"So, I suggest that you and Caleb might want to have a little chat. He understands a lot more than we give him credit for. I will go and make a start on dinner," said Nick, who walked into the kitchen, shaking his head at himself as he did so. After all, he had just treated Caleb as if he was another human being, as if he was their child. 'Which he is, in some ways, particularly to Jeff,' he thought.

Meanwhile Jeff picked a still hurt Caleb up and carried him through to the living room. He sat down in one of the armchairs, and placed Caleb on his lap. He almost laughed as he saw him looking up at him in expectation. "Ok, so let me just explain it to you. Do you remember the day that I found you, and where? In that dumpster, freezing in the cold and the snow? Well today, I was back there, and two other kittens had been put in there, probably by the same person, and of course, I had to rescue them, just like I rescued you. They were probably your little brothers; they looked so much like you did then. I am guessing that you all have the same mom. Anyway, they are safe now, like you, and they have gone to live with Isabelle? Do you remember her? I probably won't see them again, but if I do, all you have to remember is that you are my cat, and I love you more than any of the others. I hope that you can forgive me for smelling the way I did…"

Caleb stared back at him. Naturally, he understood very little of what he had been told. He could remember the day he first saw Jeff, that was true, and he could recall the cold. Brothers were, however, an unfamiliar concept; he had a faint recollection of being surrounded by girls, by sisters… The mention of a mom though, now that did explain why their was a familiarity in that smell. He could forgive Jeff; he loved the human and the two others that lived with him in his house. How could he not forgive the sweet natured boy? That didn't mean that he would not take advantage of the situation, and make him feel guilty until after he had been fed. It might just lead to a little bit more being placed in his bowl…

For Sebastian, the first of January marked the start of a new chapter in his life. When he paused to think back on the past year, so much had changed. Dave was now his husband, and to the world he was part of an official couple. The Karofsky-Smythes would be a force to be reckoned with. He had managed to reconnect with his older half-brother, thanks to some timely advice from a good friend, and in a few months he would be living just a few miles away. He had a nephew, who could only be described as adorable. When he had shown his maman the pictures of him, Julian and Peter that he now kept on his phone, she had reached for hers, and brought up a photo of a nine year old Sebastian. The small similarities between the two of them were striking. And yes, she was back in his life too, the icing on the cake that was 2015. That delighted him beyond measure.

His father on the other hand he had now consigned to history. He had woken up that morning to find several voice messages on his phone from daddy dearest, each of them increasing in both volume and anger, demanding that he call him at once. He had not done so. His phone had kept ringing though, with the same number, and in the end, Sebastian had blocked both his father's cell and home numbers; his work number could wait until tomorrow. Sure, it was the cowardly way out, but he did not want to waste his time listening to that man try to justify what he had done. There could be no forgiveness for his actions this time, not in Sebastian's book. He had to admit that he had been worried about Julian, and had woken up several times in the night thinking that he had made a massive mistake the night before, given the huge bombshell that he had dropped in his lap. His brother had not called him, so he could not gauge from his voice how he was feeling, but he had received a text message that had made him breathe a sigh of relief - _'Happy 2016 Bazzy! Thanks for giving me back my mom. Fancy a trip to Quebec?'_ He had replied with the words _'No problem. Trip sounds good, but maybe go yourself first. Love you Jules x'_ He was left to wonder if Julian had called their father, or if he was pestering him with calls too. It was too late for that man to make amends now. He had schemed against all of them, and he was convinced that none of them would ever feel the urge to forgive him for it.

He had arranged to meet his mom for a late lunch at a little French bistro he had discovered quite by chance on a walk through the streets around Murray Hill that summer. He had to rush to get there on time after the Skype chat, but he made it, arriving just as his mom appeared in a cab, for the last sitting of the day. After lunch, he would be taking her to see Dave in action on the football field. He was anxious to make up for the time that he had lost with her; she would be heading back to Canada the following morning, as she had commitments on Sunday, and then returned to work on Monday morning. Lunch was a good chance for them to spend some time alone together in a less pressured atmosphere, and the food in this small establishment was almost as good as that in Paris itself. François had been impressed, so that was a good sign. He could still recall the few times when they had gone to a small bistro just like this one in a quiet street near to their apartment in Paris, and enjoy a leisurely lunch together. That had been before the pressures of her work and his rebellious nature had conspired to destroy what should have been a wonderful and fulfilling life for both of them.

He did regret what had happened in Paris, and how much he had hurt his mother; but at the same time, if he had not acted in the way that he had and had been good, then he never would have met François; never would have returned to Dalton; and would never have met Dave Karofsky. He could not imagine his life now without his Warbler friends and his husband. Nonetheless, as soon as the waiter had taken their order, Sebastian made his mother sit in silence as he made the apology that he should have done after he was arrested in Paris; then he had just been sullen, and all too eager to be childish and blame her for it all. She accepted his apology, and then told him that as far as she was concerned, the whole matter was now in the past. It was their relationship now that was the important thing; they had both made mistakes in the past, but they had learned from them. They had to live in the here and now, after all, and not dwell on a past world where one man had tried to destroy them. Over lunch, Sebastian told her the whole truth about events at Dalton - there had been no time the night before. He had even brought photos along to illustrate things for her better. She refused to see his scars, and he could understand why; although she was keen to leave the past in the past, he was sure that she blamed herself just a little for them.

She in return told him all about her life in Montreal, and about the challenges of her work. She informed him that she was single and happy, and that she was choosing to stay that way, after all that had taken place. She also admitted that her phone had been red hot most of the morning with calls from 'that man' as she called him. Unlike Sebastian, who had been blanking him, she had eventually answered, and before he could even speak, she had given it to him with both barrels. He in return had been threatening in tone, and promised her that he would get revenge for what she had done in telling his sons. On hearing that, Sebastian was immediately in a rage, but did his best not to show it. He decided that when he got home that night, he would try and have a private chat with Grace about what the laws stated on harassment. If that did not stop him, then he would be only too happy to make enquiries as to the legal position on his father's knowing double bigamy…

Grace was now enjoying a quiet day to herself, the whole house now empty of people again. Cooper had gone off to work; the basement was empty; and as for Mason, he had headed off with Jane to New Haven, accompanied by Roderick. Jane had arranged for Mason's sister Madison to head down to Yale for a few days, and they would be enjoying a small reunion over the weekend. The other two members of their little group of former New Directions, Spencer and Alistair would be joining them too. She had no work to go to, as even the offices of Stern, Goldman, Levertt, McTeer closed down on New Year's Day. She had just settled herself down on the sofa to watch a movie, with a box of chocolates and a small glass of wine when her phone began to ring. She sighed, and went to pick it up from the table where she had left it, wondering who it could be. She had spoken to her own mother and Nick already that morning, and Pam had also called. She was surprised to see that the person on the other end was Elspeth. She was full of apologies from the off, not wishing to disturb her on her day off, but she was in need of some legal advice and Grace was her first choice. The words and the tone they were delivered in sounded quite ominous to Grace, so she settled down to listen, unable to stop a small sigh coming from her lips as she did so.

Afterwards, when they had hung up, Grace sat silently on the sofa, deep in thought. She went over all that Elspeth had just told her in her head one more time. It was not totally unexpected, if she was being completely honest. It had taken a few months to appear, but even that was fast by the standards of the government agency concerned. That Elspeth should be the one that they approached was also no shock; she was after all the obvious next of kin in the circumstances. She had agreed to help her without a moment's hesitation, and to look out for her interests, and that of her brother-in-law. She had however been strictly forbidden from mentioning anything about the subject to Jeff himself, at least at yet. She felt so sorry for the poor young man; with his death in October, he must have thought that Gordon Clarington could no longer have an effect on his life. However, a man that planned as meticulously as him had to have a will. She knew nothing of its contents yet, apart from that one line. It was on that one line and what it said that she would find herself having to fight…


	83. Hiding the Evidence

**Hiding the Evidence.**

It was just after three in the afternoon on the 1st when the inevitable happened. As Sebastian sat with his mother in the bistro, and Nick comforted Jeff over the new batch of kittens, _The_ _Boston Globe_ became the organisation that made the first mention. The coverage of the whole Montgomery scandal had been expanding hour by hour through the entire day, and many of the group of friends had been keeping half an eye upon it. It was Trent, now back home, that saw it appear, and his first thought was to alert Michelle, Thad and David to it. He told the former first, as the link to her parents had been made public, and he knew that she would wish to step in and try and protect them from the inevitable media scrum. He could not blame her for wanting to do so - the journalists would be looking for more dirt to keep the public coming back to the story over and over. He contacted the other two as Wes had now been mentioned, albeit in passing, but it did ask if he had known the truth about his shady family, or had even been involved in some way, as the trail of fraud and deception lead back to the time of his birth. Ignoring the completely ridiculous assertion that the writer had made there - after all, how could a newborn child be the cause of gross financial mismanagement? - Trent was smart enough to realise that someone could use that angle in an attempt to escape the course of justice. That someone might well be Randy. Given that, he might also reveal that he was the father of Wes out of spite, to besmirch the innocent and taint his memory. Thad and David both agreed with Trent on his point, and they also knew that Randy could still prove his claims. Michelle might have a copy of the test results, but the clinic that had done those DNA tests would have records of their own.

Thad found himself calling David on Skype again, but this time for a one to one chat. "If we are to have any hope of keeping the facts about Wes' true parentage quiet, and of making Randy Montgomery seem like a deluded fantasist when - and I mean when, not if - he declares he is Wes' father, then we need to ensure that the records at the clinic are gone, or altered. If there is no evidence to be found there, he will appear like a vindictive young man, out to destroy his brother. He is already lashing out at Albert after all. Given when the tests were done, when computerisation was still in its infancy, the records are most likely on hard copy, and therefore we do have a slight advantage. There is only one obstacle; the clinic is in Chicago. I am presuming that they chose it because the family name would not be immediately recognised by the staff. I have an address for it from the file," said Thad.

"The problem is that you are in New York, and I am in L.A. If the media wanted to get the information, then they could do so easily; I mean, the Boston press could call on the Chicago papers to go and search it out," replied David with a sigh.

"I agree, and we do need to ensure we get there first. Fortunately, we do know two people that are in the windy city. Two loyal ex-Warblers, who admittedly have been keeping a low profile for most of this year, but whom we saw last week. They would act for us in a heartbeat if we asked."

"Jasper and Brad. I agree, they have been off the radar for a while, but you're right. For this, they are our best hope. We need to make them aware of the situation, and see what they are willing to do."

"I guess we need them to go to the clinic, cause a distraction, and steal the actual file from their records. There is no way we can doctor a hard copy and get away with it, not these days. Maybe we will need them to somehow corrupt the computer records too, if they exist. For now, it might just be best to get them to head along and see how the land lies…"

"As long as the two of them do not end up splashed all over the media themselves. That is the last thing that Wes would want for those boys, for them to get into serious trouble for him."

"That is also true," said Thad. "Well, there is only one way to find out just how far those two are prepared to go…" Thad picked up his cellphone, and made the call…

An hour later, Jasper was at the reception desk of the clinic in downtown Chicago, flirting heavily with the receptionist behind the counter. She was glad of the distraction, as the place had been quiet all day, due to the holiday, and she had been bored until the handsome young man had walked in. Her full attention was now focused on the young man that was hitting on her, and so she did not even notice as Brad walked in, and headed through the door marked _Staff Only._ His hands were encased in gloves, to ensure that he left no fingerprints. Through that door, the handful of other staff in the place were busy dealing with patients, and so he was able to walk along undetected until he found the door he was looking for. Once again, luck was on his side, as the records room was also unlocked. He had him with a scrap of paper with the codes from the top of the file that Thad had in his possession, Michelle having felt it was safer with him. With those, he was able to navigate the rows of filing cabinets swiftly, and soon had in his hands the clinic's own copy of Wes' file. He read it quickly, skimming over it to ensure that he had the right documents.

There was a small note attached to the front which meant that he had to go through with the second part of the scheme that he and Jasper had formulated on their way to the building. The fact that the file had been scanned to the system meant that the computer file also had to be dealt with. Thad had told them that they could not merely introduce some kind of virus or flaw to the system which would cause it to crash, nor just delete the record. As Brad was a computer science major, he was ideally placed to go in and make amendments… The plan was simple, as the best ones always are. He pulled the fire alarm, fully confident that it would cause the staff to hasten from the building without making any kind of investigation of their own first. They were after all on the tenth floor of an office block that was otherwise empty. Sure enough, the place was empty in moments, and to Brad's delight, he found a logged on PC in the first consulting room he walked in to. In less than a minute he was in the record files, and in no time he had made the change that Thad had suggested on the file. It was so simple, but perfect. Then he took his leave, and reached the street just as the fire trucks rolled up, distracting everyone's attention. He gave a nod to Jasper, who now slipped away from the young receptionist. He was glad to do so, as he had found flirting with her very uncomfortable. It had been worth it though; their mission was accomplished, and Wes' reputation was now much safer.

Thad had been nervously pacing the floor ever since he had talked to David and come up with the plan. He knew that Jasper and Brad had something up their sleeves, but that didn't stop his nerves being heightened. He was all too aware that Randy could speak out, and that the press could reach the clinic before they did. He nearly jumped out of his skin when his phone buzzed with a message; he opened it to reveal a picture of a smiling Jasper and Brad, giving him a thumbs up. He also couldn't help but notice the file that was clutched in Brad's other hand, and he suddenly felt able to breathe properly for the first time in hours. There was still the issue, of course, of what to do with the two files of paper records; both he and David were agreed that they needed to be placed safely out of harm's way, where prying eyes could not reach them. He also knew that a smart lawyer - and the Montgomery's were bound to have one - would think to check out the family and friends, and check that they did not have any documentation in their possession. Whilst he still had the file, there were risks. Just simply destroying them was also not an option, at least for both sets.

He was still deep in thought on the subject when Ollie suddenly appeared at his side with a cup of coffee for him. He was getting ready for another night shift in the E.D., and had been watching his brother for some time. He had left him in peace, but had noticed the way his brows had been furrowing for a few minutes, so decided to intervene now. "I take it that the message you just received was the one that you have been waiting for? You seemed to be a little less stressed there for a moment. Anything that you would like to discuss with your big brother?"

Thad smiled, and replied, "Yeah, it was the message I'd been waiting for. It did take away one cause of stress, but now there is a whole new set of problems that I need to deal with. Firstly, there is the fact that I feel slightly guilty about getting two former Warblers involved in criminal activity…" He stopped, and had to laugh at his brother's raised eyebrows. "Don't worry, I am not turning into Fagin. It was all in a very good cause, or at least, we boys think so. Let me explain it to you…" Thad quickly summarised the whole set of events for his brother, who nodded from time to time, and looked serious.

When he had finished, Ollie spoke. "I can see why you did what you have done, and I agree with it. I might never have had the good fortune to meet Wes, but he does sound like the kind of guy who deserves to be protected from this kind of unwanted intrusion into his personal life. I might have a solution to your problem. I mean, Wes did live here in Manhattan for a while?"

"Yes, he stayed with Nick and Jeff for a few months whilst Hunter's case was in court, and then stayed on until the day he died, more or less."

"And in the aftermath of that trial, he was injured by Gordon Clarington whilst he was trying to protect young Jeff, wasn't he. I think I recall you telling me that. Did he get his injuries checked out at the time?"

"No. He was more concerned, as he always was, with the needs of others. He made sure Jeff was ok, and then he protected him from the press after everything that happened to his mother came to light."

"Admirable to say the least. Now was the unfortunate Mrs Clarington taken to the nearest hospital for treatment?"

"Yes. She was so badly hurt by him that they rushed her there by ambulance."

"The nearest hospital to the court with an emergency department would happen to be mine. Now, are you sure that whilst Wes was there, he did not get himself checked over by one of the staff?"

"Yes, positive."

"Wrong answer, little brother. I am sure that you will find that he was checked out, and that as a consequence, he has a file in our records room. A paper file. One that was not scanned into the system in an oversight on a busy day. One that is a bit thicker than it really should be for someone with the injuries he got that day." Ollie paused, as Thad opened his mouth to contradict him, but then stopped as he got it. "Sometimes, little brother, the best place to hide something is in plain sight…."

Ollie winked, and Thad grinned. It was a brilliant plan, and a very safe one. If they ever needed to get hold of the papers, then Ollie could arrange access for them or retrieve them for them. If not, then they could just be left to gather dust in what was sure to be a vast repository of files. Thad reached for his phone again; he needed to appraise David of the idea, and get his agreement to it. Then they could deal with the other set of papers. He had an idea for what to do with them, and it would involve the services of Colin and Skylar…

So it was that night, with the full agreement of David and Michelle, Thad headed to the hospital alongside Ollie, the latter heading in a little earlier than he needed to. He headed into the staff locker room, asking Thad to stand outside for a few moments whilst he checked who was in there. In moments, he summoned him in, and handed his brother a white lab coat, which he made him put on, so that he would blend in a little better in the environment of the staff areas of the hospital. They met no-one as they walked along, and the file room was unattended, as it often was, particularly as it was later in the day. As a resident, Ollie had a pass which allowed him to activate the door entry system. Again, he checked the room first before pulling his brother in.

It was easy for the two of them to find the cabinets which held the records for that day back in February 2014, and the coding system was also very straightforward. A pile of empty folders, stamped for the hospital sat on a desk, and it was simple to grab one, and mark it up. The whole incriminating file was transferred into it, now to be known as ED/022814/MW1. With no fuss, all of Thad's concerns had just been dealt with, and he walked out of the building, after giving his brother a hug, with a smile on his face, happier than he had been for a long time.

Back in the records room, an angel observed the carefully placed and completely innocuous looking file. It was like dozens of others that had been made up for people that had walked into the E.D. that day with minor injuries. To make it even more authentic, Ollie had written up a covering form, with the details of his injuries. Wes now removed this, and filled it in carefully in his own hand, just as any other patient might have been asked to do that day. He would ask Blaine to come and fill in the parts that were reserved for the staff. He could only smile to himself as he did so, imagining the look on his father's face when he discovered that all the evidence which proved that he was not simply his brother had now been removed from public view. It would be a picture…

Having duly summoned Blaine, Wes looked at the form with satisfaction. Blaine had filled in with his own handwriting all the parts that were reserved for the attending physician, using the words and medical shorthand that Ollie had written in himself so shortly before. The file was then placed back into the slot where Wes had found it, and the two of them made their way back to heaven. On their arrival, however, they immediately found themselves face to face with Elizabeth, who had a stern look on her face, but eyes filled with disappointment. Behind her stood a worried looking Finn and a nervous looking Kurt.

"Wesley," she began, in a dark tone, "I have to say that I am extremely disappointed with you at this moment, to say the least. I thought that you of all people would understand the necessity of abiding by the rules and guidelines at all times… Surely by now you are fully aware of the strict rules that exist covering interference by angels with past events? You have, by filling in that form just now in your own hand, contravened said rules; worse than that, you then proceeded to embroil Blaine in the whole situation by asking him to fill in the part reserved for the doctor. I have a duty as a senior angel to ensure that the rules are upheld, and that any breach of them is punished in the appropriate manner, regardless of the circumstances in which the actions took place, and of the person that broke them. Do you understand?"

Wes bowed his head, aware that at his side Blaine's face had taken on a panic stricken expression. "Ma'am, I accept that I have broken the rules, that I was fully aware of at the time, by filling in that form. My only defence for my actions is that I carried them out to ensure that an innocent party, namely Dr Oliver Harwood, was protected from any fallout should the deception be discovered. That was why I asked Blaine to assist me. I will take any punishment that you decide to hand out, but I would request that you spare Blaine, as his actions took place at my behest, even although I knew what I was doing was wrong."

"I could have said no, Wes!" said Blaine, not willing to let him shoulder all the blame. "I was also aware of the rules; I still undertook the actions, and I will accept whatever punishment I deserve too."

Elizabeth nodded, and then said, "I recall one incident of this nature that happened about five years ago in the Oklahoma section. In that case, the punishment decreed was that the angel concerned lost her wings…" That brought a gasp from Kurt, and a small strangled sob from the lips of Blaine. "However, she had done much, much more than rewrite one existing record in her own hand. Blaine, you did only do what you did at the request of Wes; you are fully aware that what you did was wrong, and are prepared to accept your punishment rather than avoid it by allowing Wes to accept full responsibility. Take this telling off as your punishment, but be aware that should something like this happen again, I will have no option but to be more severe." Blaine nodded, grateful that he was getting away so lightly.

"Wes, I have to be harsher with you, as you committed the initial incident, and then dragged another angel into it. It is my decision that I will deprive you of something that you get pleasure from. For the next two weeks, you are heaven bound, and may not leave unless instructed to do so by myself. That means that there can be no visits to any of your Warblers, and in particular…"

"No visits to Thad," said Wes sadly. "Can I go and tell him?"

"That would defeat the nature of the punishment, wouldn't it? I am sure that Kurt wouldn't mind heading down and telling him, and the reason for your punishment. He can then pass it on to the others, so that they know not to summon you for the remainder of your punishment period. Now, the subject is closed. I will see all of you back at work tomorrow; just now, I want all of you to take the rest of the day off duty. That includes you, Finn. I believe that seven collections in one night is a record. You will let someone else handle things tonight - and I will take no arguments!" With that she turned and left, leaving them all staring after her. She could, when she was required to, be a strict disciplinarian, but her kind heart always shone through. Wes was fully aware that had someone else been in charge, he might not be seeing Thad for a lot, lot longer…


	84. The Angelic Conversation

**The Angelic Conversation.**

Having been told to take the night off by Elizabeth, and with Wes forced to stay in heaven until the 15th, they all decided to congregate in his apartment, at his suggestion. Kurt left them briefly to go and speak firstly to Thad; on hearing the news, he at first looked miserable, and then he cursed Wes for being so stupid, and then himself, for not thinking to fill out the form instead of leaving it to his brother. With a sigh, he accepted the inevitable fact that he was not going to see Wes for a while, and asked Kurt to tell Wes that he loved him, even if he was a stupid ass for doing what he had, and that the moment his suspension was up, he would be expecting a visit from him. Kurt then decided on the spur of the moment to quickly go and visit his dad, and found him sitting in his office at home in Washington, going through a stack of papers, with Trent and Rory at his side. He explained everything that had taken place that day, and to his shock he found that his dad fully approved of everything that had been done, describing Ollie's idea as pure genius. Trent was a little shocked that Wes had broken the rules, but he passed on his good wishes to him and the others.

Kurt returned to find Wes busy in the kitchen, preparing them all a meal, whilst Blaine was playing the piano with Finn singing along. He left his step-brother and husband to it, and went to offer his assistance to Wes, and for once, he accepted. As he chopped vegetables to add to the stir fry that he was cooking, Kurt said "Thad sends his love, as you would expect. He also asked me to tell you that he will see you as soon as you can on the 15th."

Wes laughed and replied "I expected that response! He will have plenty to keep him busy over the next couple of weeks in any case, what with his work for college, keeping an eye on the shenanigans of the Warblers, and monitoring the media for the story of my dear family's demise. It sounds awful, and don't repeat this, but I am kind of glad that this has happened, and I can't go popping down. It means that I will have no option other than to concentrate on my job for the next fortnight, and will not be distracted by the stories. There is so much to do here after all; there is a pile of papers in my in-tray already from last night, plus we have to collate all the figures from last year and prepare the necessary audits and reports. It could have been a lot worse, and probably should have been. I doubt that I will even be aware of how long my punishment is in the end…"

"That's true enough," came a voice. "Times does seem to fly here. Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear," Finn continued with a smile. "I will have been here for nearly three years soon, and it just doesn't feel like it at all. It seems like only yesterday that we were unmasking Hunter for the cheating scumbag that he was; that Burt had that cancer scare; that Mr Schue had that wedding disaster, thanks to me…"

Blaine had appeared in the doorway as Finn spoke, and he now added "It will soon be the triplets second birthday. Remembering that little fact is one thing that helps me to realise just how long we have been here… They are all growing up to be healthy boys; like us, but not, if you know what I mean. They are all about the same height and build so far, but it's all the little differences that they have that make me smile every time I go to see them. Little Blaine has an unruly mop of hair; little Kurt has a little hint of blue in his eyes; and little Finn is the one that is always up and on the go, running his mom and dad ragged."

"What I remember, husband of mine," said Kurt, "is that we have been married for over two years now." He had moved closer to Blaine as he spoke. "I still wonder what the future would have been like if Cooper had been on time; if I had lived. Could I have been as strong as Thad is with losing the love of my life? I don't think so, if I am being totally honest. I am happy here, more or less. I have you, my mom, Finn and the best Warbler of them all. Sure, I miss my dad and Carole, and the guys; heck, I even miss Sue sometimes, but we can still see them all, and better yet, they can see us. We have the best of both worlds."

"I might be the newcomer here," said Wes, as he began to plate up the food, "but it doesn't seem to me that I have been here for 16 months. I miss my Thaddie; I regret not telling him how I felt sooner every day; wish I had broken out of the mould I had been placed in and just told him I loved him. But then I think - if I had declared my love sooner, would it just have made it harder for him to cope with my death? He nearly took a horrendous misstep when I died after one day; if we had been together for years, it would have been so much worse. Then there is David; he had already lost one brother. It destroyed him, and I stepped up in Simon's place. Then, he lost me too… I hate to imagine what his reaction would have been if Thad had also been taken from him at that juncture. What has happened can't be changed, and so far, so good. My boys have all grown up to be fine young men, and I am proud of them. Sure, we have lost a few along the way, guys that disassociated themselves with the group after the steroid scandal like Cameron… The boys that are left are my legacy; decent young men with a level of drive and commitment that is so often lacking in these changing times. I am so very proud of them all…"

They made their way to the table, and began to eat, as the conversation continued. "When you think about it, Wes, six boys in your flock are married, counting us and Sebastian," said Blaine. "Of course, strictly…."

"He wasn't there in my final golden year. The year we got a countertenor, for a while at least," replied Wes. "The way I see it, he had just strayed from the nest. It wasn't his own fault, none of it. That is what family can do to you, if you aren't careful. They screw you up. Still, he has redeemed himself now in so many ways."

"True," said Kurt. "I never thought the day would come when I would say that Sebastian Smythe was a force for good, but that is what he is. He looked after those younger boys so well when Hunter was about, at the expense of his own safety."

"And none of us even knew how much he had suffered under him until the trial," said Finn.

"I hope that now he has his mom back; now that Julian is going to be so close at hand; now that he is settled and happily married, that he will be successful in everything that he does," said Kurt with a smile. "I would hate to see him being hurt again."

"If someone does hurt him, then Dave will be around, as will Nick, Jeff and Trent," Wes responded. "Those four boys support each other so much without even realising that they are doing it. Dave and Rory are also covered by that bond now. Not that they don't have their secrets. The other two do not know that Nick and Jeff both have therapists. Jeff has one because his life just got so complicated, and so hard for a while, but now, he is definitely on the road to recovery…"

"Because he is such a success," interjected Finn. "he is being recognised for the talent that he has for the first time. He has become, unwittingly, a fashion illustrator; that got him work as an artist for children's books; and as for his masterwork for school this year…"

"You've seen it then? Gone to spy? Tsk, tsk,." scolded Wes. "Though I have to admit that the Judging Angel is a masterpiece…" The others burst out laughing, knowing full well who the subject matter was. "Now Nick," Wes continued, once it had died down, "he ended up in therapy as a result of the stress of looking after Jeff all of the time. As he has improved, so Nick has got better. I have a feeling that the old, carefree Niff is on its way back as they both grow into their own man. Nick will stay the same old Nick, with the preppy influence, but Jeff, he is becoming more bohemian. You can tell it from the clothes he wears, and the fact his hair is getting long and shaggy. It suits him, and Nick likes it, so no bad thing."

"I'm just grateful that so far, none of them have adopted a hipster beard," said Kurt with a small shudder.

"I have a strong suspicion that the old Niff will return in spectacular form," said Wes. "By that I mean there will be a major practical joke in the making. I am suspecting that poor Mike might walk in on a massive, marriage ending row one night - or they might even do it at the diner for bigger impact. Afterwards, they will all want to kill them for doing it, as I so often did…"

"But it will be a sign that the Niff we all loved is back, and so we should be grateful," replied Blaine. "I hope they do see it that way…" He watched as the other three around the table nodded in agreement. "Of course, there are other signs that Jeff is well on his way to recovery, if you look. After everything that went down, he tried to conform to the rules as much as he could, to be like all of those around him; to just fit in. I recall telling someone that they should do that a long time ago, and it didn't work well for them."

"No, it certainly didn't," said Kurt.

"I did give him a very severe talking to when I found out about that one," said Wes, who then smiled at Finn and the completely baffled look on his face at the whole exchange.

"Anyway," said Blaine, changing back to the theme, "ever since the trial finished, he has gradually began to feel more at ease within himself and with the world around him. He has stopped trying to live to other people's rules and do what suits him. He is being himself, and we should all be glad of that. He is almost approaching the hipster ethos…"

"But, as I said, without the awful beard thankfully, although he does favour vintage or old fashioned clothes, and his hair - well, if he was still at Dalton, he would be getting subtle and not so subtle hints that a trip to the barber would be in order," said Kurt. "Nick likes him like that, just as Jeff likes his shortish haired, preppy, smartly turned out husband's style."

"In some ways," interjected Blaine, "they are complete opposites, but we all know what they say about them!"

"Trent, on the other hand is another story altogether," remarked Wes. "What happened at Dalton in his Senior year forced him to grow up very quickly; Hunter robbed him of the last of his youth. I think he went from teenager to mature responsible adult in under a week when everything blew up. It suits him, in my opinion. He is still the sassy boy we all loved, but he is sensible with a capital 'S'. Rory is perfect for him as he is much the same. I would not put it past the two of them to already have the rest of their lives together planned out in minute detail, down to when they are having their kids, and who will be the one that stays at home to look after them."

"My dad said much the same thing to Carole last week," admitted Kurt. "He also said that one of them will end up in Congress, or even the Senate in time. President? Well, probably not, given the associations…"

"Yeah," said Blaine with a chuckle, "the last time there was a President Nixon, it wasn't a huge success…"

"The thing is that I think that either of them could actually do that, given time. Assuming that the country keeps moving forward, then we may well see the first woman president very shortly; maybe the idea of there being a married, gay president in the future is not such a leap of faith. Of course, they wouldn't be the first gay president…" Wes said with a wink. Finn just looked confused, whilst beside him, Kurt and Blaine mouthed the word "Buchanan" at each other with a grin.

"Then, of course, there are Sebastian and Dave. Again, they are total opposites in so many ways, but life has changed them both so much from the people that they were five years ago. Dave is no longer hiding away in the closet; he is out and proud, happy to admit that he is in love with a man - and that is largely down to the acceptance that he found when he came out from his father and his team-mates. His career is still just at its start, but I think that we can predict a great future for him on the field. The same can be said for Sebastian. He felt angry, alone and rejected when we saw him return to Dalton from Paris, but gradually, everything in his world has come right once again. He has his family around him again, not just an uncaring boor of a father. He has a circle of good, solid friends around him. He is doing what he loves for a career, not just doing what his father has ordered him to do. He is a completely different person to the snarky young man that was happy to throw slushies, and throw himself around at Scandals," said Wes.

"You can say that again!" exclaimed Kurt. "François was a revelation, and it was seeing him that made me realise why he tried to steal Blaine from me. He was his safety blanket in Paris; he saw in Blaine a substitute in Ohio."

"I have to say that I like the new Sebastian," remarked Finn. "He is a cool dude really. The thing that gets me the most is his friendship with Santana. If that had happened whilst we were all still in school…."

"Now that would have been a frightening prospect - Auntie Snixx and the Meerkat united in Ohio. I am actually scared even thinking about the two of them walking around McKinley together," said Blaine. They all had to laugh at that notion. "Still, I am glad that they ended up as friends. They do compliment each other so well, and if anyone ever tries to cross any of our mutual friends, the two of them will happily crush them together, with a little help from Puck…"

"Santana has changed too," said Finn. "Let's not forget that. She used to act so tough all the time but that was a front, I think; a skill that she developed to ensure that her biggest secret of all stayed just that - a secret. Her family were not exactly receptive when she was outed to the world by Sue, and that hurt her more than she will ever willingly admit. Losing the love of her grandmother was the worst thing of all for her…"

"Brittany's uncomplicated love for her and the shock of the three of you dying one after the other changed her," remarked Wes. "She realised that life was far too short and fragile to be bitchy all the time; she was forced to admit that she like all of you. She accepted that she had to let people in; she did and just look at her now. A much loved and respected honorary Warbler; a triumph both at NYADA and at work - and let us not forget that had it not been for her capable nature at the diner, Gunther would never even have thought of offering her the opportunity to buy it, and the Spotlight would be just another ubiquitous chain restaurant by now. Her wedding to Brittany will be the social high point of the year for the group. I don't anticipate Sam and Rachel getting married quite yet, or Cooper and Grace for that matter. No, 2016 will be a one wedding year, although we may well see some additional engagements taking place."

"Oh, I agree," said Blaine. "Sam is getting close to having the courage to get down on one knee and propose to Rachel; and I am also convinced that either before or just after the big Dalton wedding, Colin and Edward will exchange rings. They have made it work by avoiding the long distance thing." He glanced over at Kurt as he said those final words, and Kurt nodded, placing his hand over his husbands. "Whether they will return to Dalton to get married is another question, but I do have a sneaking suspicion that they just might."

Wes nodded, knowing Blaine was right. "Ok, so back to our other loving couples. David and Mercedes will not be getting engaged this year, not whilst her career is taking off, but they will stay together. It will be a big year for both of them - he will be graduating this year and joining the working world, and she will be continuing to build on the success of 2015. It will probably mean time apart, but if anyone can survive that, it's those two. David will also have to deal with losing the company of his best friend, Thad. That may conversely be harder for him to deal with than Mercedes being off on tour. She will return to L.A. in the end, but Thad won't. There is a finality in his departure, and it will upset both of them, because they have got so used to the other one being around all the time. Together they have pulled through some of the toughest moments of their lives, after all."

"Actually, in my opinion, it won't be a bad thing for either of them," remarked Kurt. "In some respects, by being together, they have been able to wallow in the nostalgia of old times, rather than face the reality of the present. That isn't exactly healthy for either of them. I think that David will thrive as he has to stand alone without anyone around to support him; he has all the necessary characteristics to do so. As for Thad, his return to Dalton to teach will take him to a comfortable place but in a new situation. He will be back in the place that he was truly happy and free, and that will give him the comfort that he needs. Oliver's decision to come more fully into his world and supporting him will give him the stability that a loving family can provide. Plus, he will have the undoubted love and support of the Carmichaels, and also Principal Lefevre and Dylan."

"Mike and Tina will continue to thrive too; once again, there is no chance of an engagement there, not when Mike is just starting out in his career as a professional dancer and money is going to be tight. That, and the fact that Tina will still be miles away at Brown, still studying, will rule against it. Mike will want to wait until the situation is perfect, and that is no bad thing. As for Tina, she is happy enough to wait until he is ready to make it all official. I actually think that they will be the last of the couples to do so," Blaine said with a thoughtful face. "Artie and Kitty on the other hand - I have a funny feeling that might just happen sooner than we all anticipate…"

Finn nodded in agreement, and spoke. "Yeah, there is something that makes me think that he is going to ask her soon. He won't want an immediate rush towards a wedding, but he will want everyone to know that they are a couple as she goes out into the big, bad world - and I think that she wants that certainty in her life as well. She has a lot in common in that respect with Santana."

And if we are going to bet on who will be getting engaged this year," said Kurt, "I would like to nominate the odd couple; Sugar and Joe. True, they might not be about very much, given that they are so far away in Moscow,Idaho, but that's also because they are both dedicated to their studies, and what little spare time they have, they tend to spend in each other's company."

Blaine smiled at his husband and nodded in agreement. "I know what you mean by the odd couple. If someone had told me in Senior year that they were destined to be a couple, I would have laughed, and then asked if you had been eating mushrooms or smoking something; gone to see Mrs Schue and got you a pamphlet. She would no doubt have more than a few on the subject. I think that it was Finn's funeral that sowed the seeds of the relationship that we all now see. Sugar was left so upset by it all, and with no-one else around to comfort her, Joe stepped up as a good Christian should. He took her home afterwards, and in the car, the two of them talked, and began to realise that they had more than a little in common. Fathers that dominated their mothers, that tried to control their lives. Subsequent meetings just served to bring them closer."

"It was the night they found out that you had died that really cemented things, Blaine," Kurt added. "But even then, they were only close friends. It was only when Sugar decided to follow Joe to the small college town where he was training at a theological college, and enrolled in another school to train to become a teacher, and then started to go to church with him… I have high hopes that their relationship will work out. It is just a pity that neither of them feels able to admit what is happening to their parents, but then again, I can see why they are keeping quiet. I can't exactly see Al Motta and the Reverend Hart hitting it off."

"Love will see them through," Wes said in thoughtful tone. "If they have each other, then they will be able to survive anything. I feel for them; it would probably have been much the same for Thad and I, if circumstances had been different. I can't exactly see our two families hitting it off either."

"My dad felt the same about Burt," Blaine admitted. "Still, that never stopped Burt trying to make my father see sense; to get him to change his ways before he lost me forever. The world would be a much better place if there were a dozen Burt Hummels."

"Yeah, he was a good father to me too," said Finn, smiling at Kurt.

"He's a good father to every kid that he has ever met," remarked Wes. "I think that all of us, living and dead, would agree that Kurt was so lucky to have had him around…"

"Ok, stop that now! You are going to make me cry!" said Kurt.

"You're not the only one," Blaine whispered.

There was a pause as they all took stock for a moment, and then Wes changed the subject by moving on. "So, my concerns on the subject of those who are still in the earthly realm. Ethan. He is doing a good job of hiding it, and Beats and Flint have been nothing but welcoming, but I think part of him regrets his decision to return to the States. He knew that he had to, as he was slowly losing the one thing that gave him an anchor in England - his close relationship with Drew. Ethan was not oblivious to Lucy and how close she and Drew were becoming. Thing is, I get the impression that she did not like Ethan being around; she did not like him being Drew's best friend and confidante. It actually saddens me to say this, but I have a feeling that she is not right for Drew. For starters, she kept pulling him away from all of his friends at the wedding…"

"I thought that it was just me being paranoid when I spotted that!" exclaimed Blaine. "She would leave him alone for a few seconds, and then drag him away again. The only chance he really got to talk to Ethan was when she went to the powder room."

"I didn't like to mention it at the time," Kurt began, noting Wes and Blaine both looking at him as he spoke, "but they had a row in their taxi when the wedding moved to the diner. She didn't want to go, but he was insistent, and her face for the rest of the night gave away what she thought about his choice."

"But he is in love with her, and when we are in love, we all do silly things," remarked Finn.

"She is clever; she will never come out and tell Drew that he can't speak to Ethan, but she will do whatever she can to keep the two of them apart. Ethan is also fully aware of what she is up to…"

"But he can't risk saying anything in case Drew takes offence at his stance," said Blaine, finishing Wes' sentence. "It is the old Catch 22. Say something, and risk losing his best friend, or say nothing, and watch as his friend gets hurt. Pray you are able to pick up the pieces when it falls apart later. Maybe I am wrong, but maybe we need to keep a watch on Drew quite closely too…."

"We also need to watch closely over Elliott, Josh and by association, Beats. I think that Mr Gilbert will try something. He is a proud man, with an outdated, old-fashioned set of values and morals. To him, homosexuality is anathema, and the fact that he has now discovered that both of his sons are that way inclined has had a profound effect on him. He is also fully aware of the activities of his daughter; he knows she is no angel, and that her behaviour is at least, in part, down to him. It is more convenient for him to pin the blame on Elliott though than admit his own flaws. He blames him entirely for the way that Josh has turned out for starters. When he finds out about the whole guardianship affair - well, he will react and not happily. I can see him going to court, or worse yet, one of those horrendous daytime TV shows," finished Wes with a shiver.

"As long as he gets to blame Elliott, Ms Ramirez, Scott and his family and Josh himself. As long as none of the blame is attributed to him or his wife," sighed Kurt.

"We can't stop it happening, nor can we warn them, and that fact just breaks my heart," said Blaine. "Is it wrong of me to hope that he does actually do something physical, as long as our boys don't end up getting hurt?"

"No," Wes agreed. "He just might be capable and willing to do something like that. What is worse is that thanks to the paperwork surrounding the guardianship, he will now have access to the one thing that Elliott would not want him to know - his address. Those boys need to find somewhere new to live, and the sooner, the better. I am sure that they will be looking to move soon in any case. It was a small place for Elliott and Beats; it is tiny when you add in a teenage brother and his visiting boyfriend. Josh needs his own space and Elliott knows that. Even if it is only a temporary measure, they need to find a space that is a little larger, or find someone that has the space to let himself and Josh, or even just his brother, move in."

Wes stopped as he saw Kurt and Blaine look at each other, and then say, in unison, one word - "Cooper!"

"Much as Cooper is a good guy, I somehow can't see him being too willing to let Elliott move in, and to be honest, I don't think that he would wish to either!"

"True, but Josh could, at least in the short term. It will be quite a hike to head uptown each morning from Elliott's place to the Port Authority Terminal for Josh; if he was living in Murray Hill, it would be a much shorter walk across the width of Midtown. He would also have Mason for company; there is only a year between them, so they should be able to rub along together without too many issues. It will also give Elliott and Beats the space they need to move up to the next level in their relationship," said Blaine with passion.

"If Mr Gilbert does turn up at Elliott's door, he would want his brother to be away from there and safe, and Cooper's place would offer that," mused Wes, as he ignored the implications of Blaine's last statement. "It is a possibility, that much is true, but it would need Cooper to go along with it, and Grace for that matter. Mason would have to be considered too, and there is no saying that Elliott and Josh would agree either. The former will be the one with the biggest issues; he is protective of his younger sibling to the extreme given all that has happened to him… Ok, so Blaine, you can sound out your brother, and if he, Grace and Mason are all willing, then Kurt can approach Elliott - or maybe it would be easier to make that approach via Beats. It really can't wait, and unfortunately, I am not in any position to assist…"

Blaine laughed, and shook his head. "No, you aren't, you bad boy! I will go and see Coop tonight, strike whilst the idea is fresh in our minds - and don't worry, I won't tell him anything that I shouldn't. I know how to behave, unlike some…"

The four angels continued to discuss the activities of their earthly friends for the rest of the meal, but eventually, it was decided they needed to get back to the business in hand. Blaine went to Murray Hill, only to find that Cooper was running late. So he took the bull by the horns, and broached the subject with Grace. She would always now be an important factor in his brother's decision making process; if she agreed to the idea, then it was far more likely that Cooper would concur. She would also be able to look at the issue rationally. Given that her speciality was family law, she would be able to examine the legal position in her head at the same time. Blaine also knew that he had a special weapon; when he mentioned the 'straight to gay' camp papers, in confidence, he knew it would remind her that Nick had almost fallen victim to that fate. Blaine was confident she would agree, and so in turn would Cooper, but he shared the worries over Elliott that Wes had. He could be quite stubborn at times, and a little pigheaded. Grace would of course be a weapon there. Whilst Elliott could be a bit of a rebel at times, he did accept that she was far more qualified in the business of law than he would ever be. After all, he had decided he knew better once before, and had almost ruined Hunter's trial by considering lying to the judge to get his biased viewpoint on the jury.

Whilst Blaine was doing this, Kurt was helping Wes to clean up; this left Finn at a bit of a loose end. Wes therefore asked him if he would go and visit David for him. He needed an update on the plans for the disposal of the second set of DNA results, and he could not go himself anymore… Finn smiled, and readily agreed. It had taken a while, but he now saw Wes as his closest friend - well, his heavenly version of Puck he guessed. If he could do anything to soothe his friends worries then he would do so willing without hesitation.

He headed to L.A. at once, and ended up giving Mercedes a start when he suddenly materialised right in front of her, as he was an unusual visitor. She called for David, and then the two of them sat and listened as Finn filled them in on what had happened that day; in particular, what Wes had done, and the consequences.

David kept a straight face for a while, but the moment Finn stopped, he burst out laughing. Then, once he had managed to compose himself, he said "So basically, what you are saying, is that Wes has been grounded for two weeks! He broke the rules, and now he has a detention! He is never, ever going to live this one down… Ok, firstly, tell him that I am very disappointed at his actions; secondly, tell him that my mom is very happy about what has happened to his family, and is, as I predicted, beating herself up about feeling that way; and finally, Jasper and Brad have arranged to hand the file over to Edward tomorrow; he and Colin will then take the file back with them to Dalton, and then, with due ceremony and the assistance of Skylar, they will burn the papers and scatter the ashes. That should be enough to ensure that Wes remains in the clear, and that should either of the male Montgomery's make any claims as to his parentage, they will be made to look like mad fantasists when the records are examined."

Finn nodded, and returned to pass the message on to Wes. Hearing it all gave his friend comfort. The danger was past, at least for him.


	85. The Sins of the Fathers

**The Sins of the Fathers.**

The first Sunday of 2016 dawned cool for most of the people of New York, but for those in a pair of loft apartments, things were about to heat up quite considerably. In the smaller of those two Bushwick lofts, just before 10.30, Nick was getting ready to head out to his afternoon shift at the Law Library; Mike was also up and about as he prepared to leave for his afternoon shift at the diner. Jeff had been working late there the night before and Nick had left him to sleep for a little longer; he had looked so calm and peaceful that Nick had not had it in his heart to disturb his slumbers. Caleb was also up and about, although he was heading back to his bed for his post breakfast nap. He was still lamenting the fact that the tree that had materialised in one corner of the living room a few days earlier had disappeared whilst he had been sleeping the previous day. He could not understand why his humans had gone to all of that effort just to remove it again after such a short time, and worse still, he had not been asked if he minded if it went! It was to the outsider a scene of complete domestic harmony…

That was until it was disturbed by someone not just knocking on the door but attempting, it would appear, to batter it down. Nick and Mike immediately turned to look at each other, both of them mindful of the disturbing reports of home invasions that had been taking place elsewhere in the city. "I'll go," whispered Nick. "You have your phone ready to call 911." Mike nodded, and dialled the number, ready to press send in a second if he needed to. He watched as Nick made his way to the door quietly…

Then they heard it; a voice that left Nick feeling cold. "Nicholas! I know that you and that disgusting creature are in there! You have 10 seconds to open this darn door, or I swear to God that I will break it down!" Nick knew that he meant it, and hurried down the hallway to open the door. Although he had no time whatsoever for the man, he knew better than to ignore his father's orders. He opened the door, and stepped back at once, thus avoiding the fist that had been aimed right at his face by inches. "You disgusting faggot! How dare you make a spectacle of yourself on national television and show me up! Everyone knows that it was you, and that disgusting pervert! You are sick, and not content with the shame that you have brought on me by marrying a man, now you have the audacity to flaunt your twisted relationship on television! I should have done this sooner, but now, enough is enough. The clinic is waiting for you, and it will sort you out once and for all."

Mr Duval lunged for Nick, but he was faster and moved swiftly down the hallway. Mike rushed forward, and placed himself between father and son, in the hope of preventing a kidnap. Mr Duval took one look at him, and sneered. "I would advise you to get out of the way, and stay out of my family's business, if you know what is good for you."

Mike stood his ground. "Nick isn't going anywhere. You can't touch him, or force him to do anything against his will; he is legally an adult, and you have no authority over him anymore."

"Nicholas will be coming with me, because if he doesn't, you and every other one of his fag friends will live to regret it…"

That was the moment that Caleb chose to come and protest at the noise that had woken him up. He made his way past Nick, who was leaning against the wall, white with a mixture of fear and rage, and then in front of Mike. He miaowed loudly at the source of the noise, indignant that he had been disturbed.

"Oh, that is so stereotypical! You fags have a pesky cat! Well, it is about to learn its lesson the hard way!" yelled Mr Duval, and then he raised his foot as if to deliver a kick…

Neither Nick or Mike had been aware of his presence until he streaked past them in a flash, grabbed Caleb with one arm, and delivered a punch to Mr Duval's jaw with the other hand. Whilst Nick and Mike were pale, Jeff's face was suffused with a bright red tone from the burning rage that he felt. As Mr Duval fell backwards to land with a bump on the ground, Jeff spun round, handed a shaking Caleb over to Nick, then turned once more to face the man that was, regrettably, his father-in-law.

"Don't you ever try to kick my cat again, or so help me, I will kick and punch you down every step from here back to the gutter you crawled out of! Why are you even here?" screamed Jeff. "Do you suffer from some kind of bizarre selective amnesia which manifests itself in these episodes from time to time? Allow me to remind you of something you said the day after you attacked your son physically because he had finally figured out that he was gay and in love with me; the day after you hit him so hard he battered his head off of a coffee table, and was left with a bloody cut on his head. You said to him; to me; and to a room full of witnesses, including a much respected Congressman, that as far as you were concerned, you no longer had a son. Remember that? In spite of that, you still turned up like a bad penny to try and ruin our wedding day, and now you have the gall to turn up and try and force him to come with you to some sham clinic that will charge you a fortune to make him miserable! You come in here with a barrage of threats, and insult both my husband and the guy that happens to be our best straight friend! Worse, you threatened violence to a defenceless animal. I know what this is all about - our kiss. Why is it that the two of us demonstrating our deep love for each other causes you so much offence? Is it because you have realised that no-one loves you anymore? Are you so small minded that you really think that the two of us being in love offends the God you profess to believe in? Maybe you should try listening harder at church. Go and find one today; sit down and really listen to the message of love that is being preached."

Jeff paused to take a breath as behind him, Mike and Nick stood in stunned silence. "Now here is what is going to happen right now. You will leave, and never come near us again, or we will have no hesitation in calling the cops. Or we could just set our neighbour Santana on you, which is much, much worse, trust me! You will go, and you will not come back, because we do not need your approval or validation. Let me tell you something else. People are looking for us at this very moment - not to abuse us like you, but to invite us to appear on TV for an interview. We could go on _Ellen_ , _The View_ or even _Good Morning America_. We don't want to, but if you are still in my sight in ten seconds time, then the next time you see us will be when we are recreating that kiss on breakfast television, or talking to Ellen, or Whoopi and telling them the story of our lives; all about us, and all about you. You think the shame is bad now; just wait until I tell everyone about all the abuse that you directed towards Nick and how you made him suffer. Now, get out of my loft! Ten, nine, eight, seven…" Before Jeff even reached six, Mr Duval was up and running back down the stairs.

"I'm scared!" said Mike quietly. "I have never seen Jeff quite so riled up!"

"To be honest, so am I!" Nick replied, holding Caleb close to his chest.

"Not half as scared as me!" Jeff responded, slumping a little as his anger subsided. "I have no idea where that all came from!"

"I don't know, but it deserves a round of applause. I couldn't have done better myself," came another voice, and the three of them looked up to see Santana standing in the doorway. "I heard the row; I was going to come over and intervene, but Jeff seemed to have it all in hand. By the way, if you do need me to hurt him, I will. I kind of love you guys…"

"We love you too, Santana!" said Nick with a smile.

"Good. Now, there is just one thing… Jeff should really put some clothes on…"

The blond boy screamed again as he realised that in his haste to defend his husband from his father, he had neglected to even pull his robe on as he raced from the bedroom. He went red again, this time from mortification, and hurtled back down the hall to the safety of the bedroom.

Santana smirked, and then, with one eyebrow cocked, said, "All I can say is that you are a very lucky man, Nick Sterling-Duval…." She winked, and then headed back home. For his part, Nick immediately went crimson, whilst at his side Mike struggled not to laugh, whilst dealing with the fact that neither he or Nick had appeared to notice that Jeff was naked as he had raged at Mr Duval….

As Nick was comforting Jeff a few minutes later, telling him that he was positive Santana was not going to tell everyone what she had seen, and Mike was giving Caleb a post nearly being kicked snack, across the East River in Murray Hill, Sebastian was on the telephone with his brother. He had not spoken to Julian since New Year's Eve, when he had told him about his mother. Apart from the short text message, there had been no communication at all between the two brothers, until now. Julian had called up to discuss a problem that they now shared once again; their father.

"He called me early in the morning on the first; I was still in bed, half asleep, when I picked up the phone, thinking it must be an emergency of some kind for anyone to be ringing me up at 5am. The moment I heard that voice, I froze - and then hung up; switched off the sound and the vibration, and went back to bed. I woke up about three hours later, and reluctantly picked my phone up, to discover that it was dead. He had rung up so many times that he had drained the battery. I put it one to charge, made myself some breakfast, then switched it back on. I had nearly 100 missed calls, a dozen voicemails and several irate texts telling me to call him at once."

"Which naturally, Jules, you did not do…" said Sebastian with a grin in his voice.

"Of course I didn't! After all the lies and deceit, he had absolutely no right to tell me to do anything ever again! I hate that man with a passion… And anyway, I wanted to make him pay. So I called him back on the stroke of midnight, my time."

"Three in the morning in Ohio….you're good," laughed Sebastian.

"You aren't the only Smythe that can be a scheming devil. Needless to say, he wasn't best pleased at being woken up at that time, so I reminded him that he had done it to me, and now we were starting to get even. He began to say something about how I shouldn't believe a word you said, but I stopped him in his tracks when I told him I had already talked to my mother. There was silence, and then he started to rage about how awful she was; how she had never loved or cared for me; how he had been forced into his choices by her. I listened, and then I told him all she had told me. How I remembered the abuse she suffered at his hands. How he had a string of women whilst they were married. How I would quite happily stand up in any court and tell the world what a lying, evil, calculating man Ohio had for its State Attorney. How I would not rest until justice had been done, unless…."

"Unless?" said Sebastian. "Please tell me that you didn't offer him some kind of get out of jail free card? The more time I have had to think about our situation, the surer I am that he has to be held accountable for all the damage he has done to us."

"Oh, Lord, no! No, I told him that unless he stayed away from me, you and our respective mothers, I would have no hesitation in calling up current stepmommy and letting her know that the divorce she is paying out for is totally unnecessary, given that she was never legally married to him in the first place. As a result, she should be suing him for every penny he has, after you and I clean him out for the psychological abuse, and the distress he has now inflicted on both of us. Do you know what he did next? He hung up! After all those messages, he didn't want to talk to me anymore…"

"That, big brother, is because he knows that you and I now have the upper hand. We occupy the moral high ground, and he is the one sinking into the quagmire. He knows that we could break him, and destroy everything he was worked to build in terms of both reputation and fortune. We hold all the cards. He would have to be a complete idiot to even attempt to ignore that."

"Hmm. It is our father we are talking about here, Bazzy. A man to whom reputation is the most important thing in the world. We need to tread carefully. He did call me again yesterday, asking me to give him a chance to explain his actions. Begging me to come to Ohio, and see him. Talk it out face to face, man to man, like equals. I told him to get stuffed. I would like to think that we have heard the end of it now; that he will let us live in peace, but I doubt it."

"He knows better than to even attempt to call me, Jules. He knows what my reaction would be, I haven't had so much as a call from him today. Maybe he realises that we both have the same ruthless streak he has, and that we will destroy him if he doesn't stay away."

"I hope so. Just be careful. He might just be biding his time…" Julian's words did not fill Sebastian with any fear. There was no way he would be stupid enough to try and force his hand now. After all, if anything out of the ordinary happened to any of the people involved, he would fall under suspicion…

For once, Sebastian had misjudged his father; he was by no means an irrational man in normal circumstances, but now that his two sons knew the truth about his life, normality had flown out of the window. He knew what Sebastian was capable of after all, having heard all about his antics at Dalton in his regular calls from the Principal. He did not trust the boy not to blurt out the truth at a moment's notice; in fact, he was sure that he would do so with the slightest of provocation. He was not prepared to allow them to control his life. There was a new woman in his life. A young, beautiful woman who was only too happy to supply him with the affection that he needed, and earn him points with those around him, who would marvel at how he could still attract the best of the ladies. He was not prepared to lose that, or the respect that he had built up in Ohio. Not for anyone. To be honest, he wanted to make sure that Sebastian kept silent, and to ensure that, he had to play on his level. That was the reason why he boarded a flight to New York late on that Sunday evening, having obtained his son's address from a contact in the NYPD. He would find a hotel, charging it to the good citizens of Ohio, and then early in the morning, go and pay the boy a visit.

School was restarting, but Sebastian had no classes to attend that Monday morning, unlike Dave, who had hurried out of the house just before 8am, leaving Sebastian to lie in the warmth of their bed for just a little while longer. His plan was for a leisurely breakfast, followed by a shower, and then set off for NYADA around eleven, to meet up with Sam for lunch, and a discussion about the students that they were mentoring. He had the alarm set for nine, and so he dozed quietly, enjoying the warmth, listening to the world around him heading off to work and school.

In his slumber, he did not hear the sound of the front door handle being tried first, or the slight noise as the latch was easily forced open from outside. Later, Sebastian would insist that when they left the house, they always locked up properly, and stop being so lax and trusting. He didn't hear the quiet footfalls of a well made and expensive pair of Italian leather brogues as they walked down the hall, and eventually came to a halt outside the bedroom door. He didn't hear the door open, or the sound of breathing as the uninvited guest approached his bed; as they looked at the pillows, and for a moment thought how easy it would be to pick them up and force them over the sleeping man's face; to hold them there until he stopped struggling for breath. It was those thoughts that were to be his downfall. It gave the person that had seen them enter and follow them a chance to creep up behind them, and suddenly hit them hard in the back with Sebastian's lacrosse stick, causing them to fall forward onto the bed…

That woke Sebastian up. The sudden weight upon him caused him to start, and he sat upright, wide awake in seconds. The sight that met his eyes was almost unbelievable. There was Mason, clutching his lacrosse stick in both hands, trembling in fear as he realised just what he had done, and there, sprawled out on his legs was a man that he immediately recognised. For a horrible moment, Sebastian contemplated the fact that his father had come to New York, and had then proceeded to break into his home in an attempt to kill him… He dismissed the thought when he saw that his father was not wearing gloves, and he would never be stupid enough to leave fingerprint evidence. All he had to do now was manage the situation; his father was trying to lift himself up, and Mason looked poised to strike out again with his weapon.

"Ok, everyone stay exactly where they are. Mason, put my lacrosse stick down. This guy wouldn't dare harm me. Trust me, physical harm is not his style; he specialises in the psychological."

"Are you sure? He broke in to your house. I was just leaving to go to school, heard a noise from below, and saw him pushing open your front door. Do you want me to call the police?"

"No, thank you, Mason. Look, this stays between you and me. No mentioning it to anyone, and I mean, anyone. Not even Dave. I'm fine, and I'm grateful for your sense of civic duty, but trust me, my father won't kill me."

"Your dad! Oh, heck! I am so sorry! Thought he was a burglar!"

"Close. He wasn't invited, and he did break in. You did the right thing, and as far as we are concerned, this is over. You should get off to school; come and find me later and we will talk, ok?"

"Yeah. As long as you are sure…"

"I am. Trust me, it will be ok. Now, scram! I don't want you being late for school because if you are, it is me that Madame Tibideaux will blame!" Mason apologised once more, and then left, making sure he closed the door properly behind him. He wasn't so convinced that Sebastian would have been safe if he hadn't intervened, but now he was awake, his father didn't stand a chance.

Once Mason had left, Sebastian's voice took on a very different tone. "You can get up now, and then you can explain to me why I shouldn't call the cops right now and report you for breaking and entering; and maybe the New York Post as well, given that they love a sensation. It would be the end of your career, daddy dear. I am under no illusions. You did not come here because you love me, and want to apologise for all that you have done. You came here to persuade me to be silent, and when you saw me vulnerable, you thought just how convenient it would be if somehow I didn't wake up again. That is low, even for you." His father got up, but remained silent. "Right, I suggest you make your way back to the lounge, and wait for me there. I will give you thirty minutes to explain everything to me. You'll find it easily enough. Or you can wait here, but I warn you, I stopped wearing anything in bed a long time ago…" That was enough to make his father storm from the room. Once he had left, Sebastian took several deep breaths, and then grabbed his phone. He sent a quick text to Julian to tell him that their father had come to visit, and that if he did not text again in an hour, he was to call the cops. It was better to be safe than sorry…

He made his father wait whilst he made coffee, and then headed into the room where his father sat in the armchair, his face like thunder. "Coffee. Black with two, if I recall."

His father took the proffered cup, then spoke "That boy. I want his details. I am going to charge him with assault. My back…"

"Is the least of your worries. By all means, charge Mason, but when the judge finds out he hit you as he had witnessed you breaking into my place, and then saw you standing over me as I lay asleep in bed, staring at the pillows, you might find they will dismiss the case. That and the simple fact that your name will be mud if you so much as approach him ever again, because I will go to the media."

"It isn't just my name that will be dragged down if you do that. It will harm you, your mother, your half-brother; the whole world will know everything, and they will not be forgiving."

"I'm quite sure they wouldn't be. There would be an outcry in Ohio when they find out that the senior legal man in the state is a double bigamist, who held a funeral for a wife that was alive, using the body of a poor Canadian woman whose family probably still wonder to this day where she is. Maybe I should check out the missing persons records for that time, father? Let you know what name should be on that gravestone. As for me and Jules, the world will have a lot of sympathy for him, given that he was deprived of his mother, and told she was dead; as for me, the fact that I am illegitimate will not really change everything. A lot of people have considered me to be a little ba…"

"Me included. If you breathe a word, then you will be on your own. No more money, no returning home."

"Firstly, thanks to friends and luck, I am nearly a millionaire in my own right, so I no longer need to rely on paltry paternal guilt handouts; secondly, as your second bigamous wife converted my room into a gym, I can't return home in any case. Nor would I want to. I heard that the place stinks of fish for starters…"

"It was you, wasn't it! You did it!"

"Prove it. In any case, you couldn't have moved on to number four if I hadn't helped you to get rid of number three. The fact is, you are still legally married to Julian's mom, and neither my maman or number three should have had to divorce you. You know that, and you also know that if it ever did come out, then my beloved stepmom would be within her rights to take you for every cent you have. The thing is, I have no intention of telling the world, unless you provoke me. What has happened this morning has pushed me close to doing so. However, I am prepared to ignore your moment of misjudgement, and to draw a line under the whole affair as long as you abide by the conditions I am about to make. First, you will rewrite your will, and leave a substantial sum in trust for your grandson. I suggest that you also set up a college fund for him. True, you will have no contact - I don't think you would want to in any case, but that is your loss. The least you can do is provide for his future. Secondly, I think that it is time for Ohio to get a new State Attorney. After all, you are approaching sixty, and you should have more time to relax and enjoy life. Early retirement is a viable option. I think you should have taken that option before this year comes to an end, ideally before the presidential vote. And maybe retire somewhere warmer, like Florida or the Virgin Islands. Thirdly, you will not marry number four. No more bigamy. As you will no longer be a public figure, nobody will care if you are living in sin with her. Finally, you will never interfere in any of our lives again in any way. You will be our connection, but as far as we are all concerned, you will have left us behind to be happy. Because I am happy, dad. I have found my love, and marriage is the most fulfilling thing in the world. I have my mother and my brother. I have the best friends, and I am doing something I love at school. The only black spot on the horizon is you, to be frank. Let's just forget that the other exists, ok."

"You just expect me to agree to all of that?"

"My landlord's fiancée is a hotshot attorney who would just love this case. I have a good friend who has contacts in the press that he would not be afraid to exploit. I should also mention that Julian has recently become very close to the online editor of _Vogue_. This story of bigamy and betrayal is on that they'd just love to have in their pages. Your choice. Anyway, time up. I have a life to live, and honestly, you no longer figure in it." Sebastian stood up, and took his father's cup. The man regarded him with anger, but he knew two things his son had inherited from him at that moment. The ability to scheme, and determination. He was older now, and tired. His sons held all the good cards. With a sigh, he stood up. Maybe retirement wasn't such a bad idea.

As he walked out of the door, he said nothing, and was halfway up the steps to the street when he heard Sebastian's voice. "I did love you, once, but you made it very hard to love you. I feel sorry for you, but I want to thank you for teaching me how not to be a father. I expect to hear news of your future plans in the next two weeks, or we might just have to bring Jules in on this discussion. Your choice." He heard the door slam shut, and he kept walking. He had no inclination ever to return.

Behind the door, Sebastian slumped to the floor, feeling drained. He also to his horror felt treacherous tears running down his cheeks. He still loved his father, after all. That hurt; but what hurt more was the fact that the love had never been reciprocated. Now he knew that it never would be, and as he dissolved into sobs, he felt as if part of his world had ended. True, his new world was brighter, but he had to spend some time mourning what he had lost.


	86. Solutions, then Despair

**Solutions, then Despair.**

For Elliott Gilbert, the start of 2016 brought with it a whole host of new problems which he had never found himself facing before. This time last year, he had been happily single, although he missed his family from time to time, and was jealous of what he saw in the loving couples around him. Now, he had found himself a young man that got him, understood him, and loved him unconditionally, and he had got his brother back. And that was where the problem arose. He had always loved his tiny apartment, decorated as he wanted, in a good part of Manhattan. Now it seemed to be bursting at the seams. There really wasn't enough space to accommodate two brothers if he was entirely honest with himself, and it would have been a struggle even if Beats had been the one moving in - and he so desperately wanted him to. Finding the money to pay the rent on a bigger place every month would be a nightmare, and it might mean having to move to somewhere less comfortable, probably in the outer boroughs. It had to be done, though, and he had begun to trawl through the lists online - and was left stunned at just how much even a tiny place would now cost. He knew that if he said something, Josh would run out and find a job, but he didn't want him to have to work all the hours he could to pay bills and let his studies suffer as a result. He would have to find a way somehow….

The other issue was his father. Ever since he had found those papers on the table in his one time family home, he had come to dread the sound of feet on the stairs, and had lain awake at night, waiting for the slightest sound. He just had a feeling that he would come. He was fully aware that the moment he had placed his address on the papers for the guardianship, he had more or less told his family where they were. He would not change it, but he was fearful. When he could no longer sleep he would find himself getting up, and standing looking at his sleeping brother, silently praying that he could keep him safe…

It was as he stood there on the second night of the year that he felt the draught from a set of wings, and turned to find Kurt standing behind him. "If he wakes up right now and finds you standing there, staring at him, he is going to find that heck of a creepy, Elliott," Kurt whispered.

For his part Elliott nodded, and headed back to sit on the couch, which had become his temporary bed, Kurt following right behind him. "I know what you are saying. The problem is, I am sick with worry that it is all going to fall apart. That my dad will come, and I won't be able to save him. That they will ruin his life. If that happens, then the guilt will kill me. I would die to save him, Kurt. He can't suffer like I did, he can't…" Elliott tailed off as he felt the tears starting to run down his face. Kurt came to sit by his side and wrapped an arm around him, allowing Elliott to cry into his chest and get the misery out. Eventually, his tears subsided, and he sat up, his face full of his embarrassment at breaking down.

"What you are feeling just now, Elliott, is perfectly natural in the situation. You have suddenly found your life turned upside down, at a time when you had been feeling happy, really happy, for the first time in years. You are angry at yourself that you could not protect Josh from your dad. Angry that you cannot take care of him in the way that you wish. Guilty that you sometimes wish he wasn't here, so that you and Beats could have some alone time to develop your relationship. And on top of all of that, you're tired, because you can't sleep. We angels notice these things and to be honest, we did have a discussion about it last night. We were all having dinner with Wes, and it just came up. We think that we might have a solution for you, but it won't be entirely to your liking."

"I don't know if I entirely like the fact that you have been talking about me, but I will allow it, mainly because I am sure that you haven't been bad mouthing me. If you guys have a solution, I would love to hear it, because from where I am sitting right now, there doesn't appear to be one, short of removing the big threat from the equation - and I am certain that killing my dad would not earn me brownie points in heaven. Even thinking that way…"

"It doesn't involve killing your dad. In fact, to my way of thinking, we should encourage him to come, and get the police involved when he does. I thought your face would look like that when I came out with it," Kurt laughed, as Elliott's face was filled with a potent mix of rage and confusion. "You will admit that this place is ok for you, manageable for a couple, but inappropriate for two brothers? Now, just because you are your brother's legal guardian, it doesn't mean he has to live here with you. He could stay with a trusted friend until such time as you can find somewhere suitable for the pair of you."

"I guess, but that would feel like I was letting him down. I mean, he might see that as a rejection; that I was only doing it because I wanted to be with Beats, and he was disrupting my life."

"Not if you tell him the truth, and I mean the whole truth. He needs to know what your father was intending, so he can be on his guard once he is back in Bergenfield. He might be safe on the bus, and at school, but that short walk between the two is a potential minefield. I would suggest getting Scott to meet him at the bus every day, but that places him in danger. He needs to be told, Elliott. Then he will see why his staying here is another less safe option."

"You are right. I know you are, I just don't want to hurt him."

"He is tougher than you think. He has lived with the knowledge he was gay, and under your parents' roof for a long time. He will accept that you are only thinking of his safety, and it isn't as if you are not going to see him once he leaves, is it? So, we were thinking, given that he has the space, he could move in with Cooper in Murray Hill. He would also have Mason for company - there is only a year between them and so they will share the same kind of interests. He would also be closer to the bus there for travelling to school."

Elliott nodded, and said "That's true, but I'm not that close to Cooper and Grace. It would seem like quite an imposition just to go and ask him if my little brother could move in."

"You don't have to. Blaine has already broached the topic with them, and they are both in agreement that he could. Don't forget, both of them have younger brothers that have been in Josh' place. They understand the issues, and both of them want to offer you their support. If that means having Josh move in, then that's fine. In fact, Cooper told Blaine that there is a room for you too, if you want it. As he put it, there is strength in numbers."

Elliott sat in silence for a moment as he contemplated what Kurt had said. He wanted the best for his brother, and what was being offered here was definitely it. At the same time, he wanted his independence. He loved having his own place, his own space; it had given him the security he needed after the difficulties of his senior year at college. He couldn't give it up - but he saw the wisdom in the suggestion for Josh. He just hoped that he would understand the reasons why he was seriously considering the scheme that had been suggested. "I'll have a chat to Josh when he wakes up… You are right, he would be better off living somewhere that dad can't find straight off, but my fear is that he might see it as a rejection; that I see him as an inconvenience. Tell Blaine to tell Cooper I will let him know soon, but if it's a yes, it will just be Josh, not me. I love my little place too much to give up on it for anything other than another place of my own."

"I thought you would say that. Ok, I'm going to go, and let you try and sleep. We will all be keeping an eye out, but we can't warn you if we see him coming, much as I wish that we could. Wes is already paying the price for intervening when he shouldn't have, and I am not sure my mom would be so lenient if we all start playing fast and loose with the rules." Kurt left, leaving Elliott thinking - and within minutes, fast asleep.

Over breakfast the next morning, he broached the subject with Josh. He chose his words carefully from the start. His brother looked horrified when he told him about the letter he had seen; in fact, he came close to tears. That gave Elliott the opening he needed to place the idea of him moving in with Cooper to the fore, stressing that his only wish in doing so was to protect him, and that he would come and visit him as often as he could; daily if he had his way… An hour later, the two Gilbert brothers were heading north towards Murray Hill. A quick call to Cooper had resulted in an invite to come and see what was on offer, and see if Josh would be agreeable. Mason was at home, back from Yale, and had been briefed. He was keen to offer a welcome to Josh as well, and he was the one that came to open the door. Cooper and Grace joined them, and after a round of introductions, they made their way up to the top floor, and showed Josh the room he would be occupying, across the hall from Mason. After the cramped conditions at Elliott's, the room was palatial to Josh. When asked if he had any questions, he had two - firstly, would Elliott be able to come and visit whenever he wanted, the answer to which was a resounding yes; and secondly, could his boyfriend Scott come and visit. The answer there was a qualified yes too, the only condition being that they had notice, particularly if he wanted him to sleepover. Josh blushed at the implication made in Cooper's reply, and then asked for a few minutes to think.

Sitting on his own in the comfortable bedroom, he felt his loyalties divided. He loved his brother, and he wanted to stay with him, and protect him from the wrath of his dad if he did show up. He could see the other side though; that Elliott needed to protect him. He got up, and walked out into the hall, deep in thought.

"So, do you want to know what it is like living with Coop and Grace?" came a voice, and he saw Mason standing in the door of his room, smiling. "It's like living with really nice parents, because they care about me, and make sure I am going to school and am fed; but at the same time, they aren't totally strict, and treat me more as a friend than a child…you get what I am saying? They both had younger brothers who have been where you are now, and they get it. As for me, it would be kind of cool to have someone nearer my age in the house, because Grace is kind of a workaholic, and Coop isn't that good at computer games - I mean, you do play?"

"Yeah, I do… I feel guilty about leaving Ell, that's the problem. What if he gets hurt and I'm not there?"

"He's feel ten times worse if you were there and got hurt. Elliott will be fine. He is out at work most of the day, and he has the sense to check what's going on around him before he enters the house, especially late at night. All he wants is for you to be safe, and that is love. He'll be happy if you stay; he will worry if you don't. Plus, maybe he and Beats want alone time…." Mason added with a wink, and Josh laughed. He was kind of cramping his brother's style, not that either he or Beats had complained. It would be nice to have his own space again, and the fact that Scott would be allowed to come and stay…

So it was that Josh moved in to Cooper's house in Murray Hill that same afternoon, watched over by a couple of angels. The two brothers had a tearful farewell, Elliott declining Grace's offer to stay for dinner, knowing that it would only make parting from Josh later all the harder. Once he was gone, Mason handed a game controller to him, and told him he was ready to see how good a player he was. As the two young men ran up the stairs, Grace smiled to herself, and then, wondering how she had ended up in the role of a virtual mother to two boys at her age, she went to prepare their evening meal.

The first full week of 2016 saw them all waiting anxiously for the moment when either of the two Randall Montgomery's would try and smear Wes and attempt to destroy his memory. They all expected that it was a case of when, not if, that would happen. Gabriel's friend at _The Boston Globe_ had agreed to his request to keep Wes' name out of the paper as much as he possibly could; as Gabriel had pointed out to him, he had had no part to play in the disaster area that was resulting from the fallout from the biggest financial scandal that had hit Massachusetts in a generation - indeed, his story was the tragic one. The good young man that had been stolen from the world much too soon. However, he had no contact with anyone within the other paper, _The Boston Herald_. It would only be a matter of time before someone made the connection and ran a story reminding their readers of the tragic death of the good son. The New York papers were not so much of an issue, as only the respectable _New York Times_ would run with a story that was focused on Beantown, as one commentator had put it. _The Washington Post_ was also not a concern, not after Burt had a quiet word with the editor, who had become a valuable contact.

No-one would ever know who it was that reminded _The Herald_ , but the story about the tragic death of the youngest son of the Montgomery clan made the pages of the paper on Thursday morning. It didn't take long after that; at one in the afternoon, Randy Montgomery let it be known, through his attorney, that Wes was his son, not his brother; that his stepmother had seduced him at the age of thirteen whilst he was in deep grief following the tragic early death of his beloved mother. She had done so in a calculating manner, intent on financial gain. Nine months later, she was married to his father, and giving birth to the boy that they claimed was their own offspring. He told the world that he had DNA evidence, after tests were done, of his claims, and that if the world wanted to see the truth about his 'little brother', they just needed to speak to the clinic in Chicago.

As the media and the authorities descended on the clinic in the quiet corner of Chicago, the story hit the internet and spread. In Lima, where no-one knew the tale, Sue Sylvester spent the entirety of that evening's Sue's Corner praising Wes to the hilt, whilst denouncing the frankly evil and bitter Randy. She hoped that the story was, as she told her audience that night, nothing more than the sick deluded rants of a guilty young man. Behind the scenes though, she was certain that he was actually telling the truth, and he had come clean to get his revenge on his perfect little brother. She could only pray that Wes' loyal friends had already been aware, and had taken some sort of evasive action…

David and Thad knew that it was all going to be ok in the end, but they had not informed anyone in the group of what they had done; as a result, only the four young men involved in the actual scheme knew the truth. As the evening had progressed, and _#WesMontgomery_ had begun to trend on Twitter, anxious texts and calls came in from all of the other Warblers, all of which the two answered with a few simple words of reassurance. As Thad said to the final caller of the day, an anxious Drew that had woken up at 6am in Oxford and had seen the news online and immediately called up to hear the latest, "Don't worry. As Head Warbler, the issue has already been dealt with by me on everyone's behalf. Trust me, you will see very soon that it is all going to work out ok." His words did give everyone the reassurance that they needed, but nobody dared to ask how he could be quite so sure of that. It was a case that the less they knew about it, the better it would be…

Those that lived on the east coast woke up to the story being the main headline in every single newspaper printed there. The banner headline _'THE BROTHER LIES: Foul attempt to smear the innocent.'_ on the billboards of _The Boston Globe_ that morning meant that it sold well. Randy, it was claimed, had screamed the jail down when they came to tell him that they had investigated his claims and discovered he was lying. They brought as evidence a faxed copy of the file from the clinic, which now, thanks to Brad, stated that the father of Wes Montgomery was Randall Montgomery Senior. In his temper, Randy would lash out at those around him that he termed liars, and would find an assault charge added to his list of misdemeanours.

Wes' mother said nothing when she was told. She was fully aware that the file had to have been altered, but to state that something had happened to the files in Chicago would not have helped her case one bit; all it would have done was found her facing charges of sex with a minor.

As for Randall Senior, he too stayed silent on the news. Although he had never had that much time or affection for Wes, regarding him as a shameful inconvenience, he had to admit that the boy had been a shining example of right and good in an all too corrupted world. He did not deserved to be dragged down into the depths with the rest of the family, and nor for that matter did Albert. He had no idea which of Wes' friends had known the truth, or how they had accessed the clinic to make the alterations, but he was not sorry that they had. He had realised the truth now, far too late. He had finally seen that his eldest son was a spoilt, manipulative fool, and now they were all going to pay the price.

The reputation of Wes was now safe and even less likely to be blemished, given that the press would never believe a word that Randy said again, and the fact that there were now a string of young woman coming forward to tell the world that he had slept with them. The fact that in most cases they had also fallen pregnant, and had merely been handed a cheque and told to go for an abortion left half of the country scandalised. The scandal moved away from the youngest brother and back to the awful behaviour of the spoilt eldest child of a crooked father. As a group, those that had been friends of Wes' were left horrified at just how many women were coming forward, and even more so by the fact that not one of them had yet named him as the father of an actual living child. The news was passed on to Wes by Blaine, after Kurt and Finn had decided that he was best placed to do so. The figure that he gave to him, well into double figures, left Wes with mixed emotions. Of course, he was not sure if all of them were telling the truth, or had just jumped on to the bandwagon, but he had a terrible feeling that most of them were.

As for Albert, no-one had heard from him, nor had he been found by the hunting press pack. He had planned things well in that respect - his decision to buy a ticket to Naples, travel in a hire car from there to a small town near Rome, board a bus there to the city and then take the train to Florence had been justified. The trail had run cold on the outskirts of the eternal city, and the authorities were not interested in helping the media find an innocent man. That did not stop the press though, and on Sunday morning one of the tabloids announced that Albert had retreated to the Vatican, sought Papal forgiveness for his and his family's misdemeanours, and was now in training for a role in the priesthood. When she saw that story on the front page, in black and white, Michelle had roared with laughter. This had admittedly earned her some funny looks in the drugstore, but she did not care. In heaven, Elizabeth had allowed Finn to take a copy of the paper to Wes, and he too had been left in hysterics. The idea of Albert being a priest was verging on the ridiculous; it was close to the plot of _Sister Act_. Wes knew full well where he was; he was hiding out until the media frenzy had died down in the comfortable surroundings of his girlfriend's small apartment overlooking the Arno. He was happier there than he had ever been before in his life, and at that moment, he would be quite happy if he never saw the USA, or his wonderful family, ever again.

The article was prime reading material in the Spotlight that Sunday. Michelle had ended up buying a pile of copies, and intended to ask someone to mail a copy to Italy for her. She kept one for herself, and then handed the others to the staff. Mike and Sam, working on the early shift, had laughed loudly for several minutes at the sheer preposterousness of the idea; they would continue to giggle every so often, and had a near complete breakdown when the local priest stopped outside and glanced in the window. When Santana and Brittany appeared to take over from them, the former had found the paper thrust into her hands almost the moment she walked through the door. She was laughing along with the two boys when the door opened, and in walked Nick and Jeff. The former was crying, and Jeff looked as if he had been in tears too…

The laughter in the diner stopped abruptly as everyone noticed them. Mike walked over to the table where Jeff had now settled Nick, who was hunched over the table, his head in his hands. "What's going on? Has something…?" Mike stopped, not even wishing to contemplate the worst.

"We were just leaving the house when we heard the news," said Jeff quietly. "It was so unexpected - and it is just such a big loss, not just to us, but to the whole world. He was just such an influence on both of us back in the day, when we were young and scared. He was so good at what he did… Wes will be upset too, as he liked him; but when I think about it, maybe he will be less upset now than if he was still living like us…"

"So, still no clearer," said Santana, who had walked over to join them.

Nick raised his head from the table, and blurted out "David's dead!" before he fell back on to the table, and started to cry noisily.

There was instant silence, mouths dropping open and eyes nearly popping out.

"Oh my God! How?" said Sam.

"Poor Mercedes!" said Mike, his face white as a sheet. "And as for Thad…"

Jeff shook his head, and with a tiny smile, replied, "No, not that David! He is alive and well, although when he hears this, he will be upset too… David Bowie is dead. The most influential man of his generation. Ziggy Stardust had gone to the see the Starman in the sky."

There was silence in the diner again, apart from the faint sound of Nick's sobs. This time it was shock that had rendered them mute. He had been an influence on all of their lives, in some way or another. They all had a song of his that they loved, and would happily sing along to on the radio. Now he was gone, leaving behind a whole catalogue of music.

It was Sam that voiced what they were all thinking, in their hearts. They all knew that one of their number would be more affected than the others. "This news is going to kill Elliott…"


	87. Remembering the Starman

**Remembering the Starman.**

Sam was not the only person that realised that the death of such an iconic performer as David Bowie would have a profound effect on the man that he had known at first as Starchild. Kurt had only found out that he had passed away and arrived in heaven as he overheard his mother telling Wes all about the drama that his death had caused; a fight had broken out between the New York and London sections over where he should be taken after his death; whether it should be by place of birth or death. A large part of Kurt was slightly overawed by the news. He had to admit that he had a soft spot for the man's music, and as he had managed to eventually meet his fashion hero, Alexander McQueen, he knew it might well be possible to accidentally bump into him too one day. It was as he wondered how such a meeting might be engineered, and how to ensure Blaine was with him at the time, when it suddenly struck him. He recalled the first time that he had visited Elliott's little apartment, and how he had shown off with great pride his collection of Bowie memorabilia, which sat with pride of place next to a complete collection of CDs and vinyl albums. He knew at once what this news would mean to his first real friend in New York…

He had two options open to him; fly to Elliott himself straight away, and offer what comfort and support he could; or go to Beats, inform him of what had taken place, and urge him to head to the city and his boyfriend with all haste. He chose the latter; even though he now lived with Cooper, there was a very good chance that Josh would be with his brother, and in such a small apartment, Josh was bound to notice that his brother was talking to thin air. He had nearly caught them all one time already, and it had taken all the powers of persuasion that Elliott and Beats had to convince the young man that the two of them had not gone completely crazy.

He flew at once to Princeton, to find Beats working with no enthusiasm on an essay. "Hey, Beats, sorry to just appear unannounced like this," Kurt began as his wings disturbed the sheets of paper on Beats' desk, "but I have important news for you, and it concerns Elliott."

"He's ok, isn't he? Please tell me he hasn't had some kind of accident, or that his dad has turned up…" said a startled Beats.

"No, it's nothing like that, but he is about to get a nasty shock. One of his heroes had died; his biggest hero…"

"Bowie!?" said Beats instantly. "When? How?"

"He arrived in heaven just a few minutes ago; the news isn't even out there in public yet. But it will be, very soon, and when Elliott hears it…" Kurt stopped as Beats got up and ran out of the room, grabbing his keys and pulling on a coat as he did so. He yelled to Flint that he had to go to New York urgently, and that he did not know when he would be back. Then he was out of the door, Flint appearing in the hall as it slammed shut behind him. He saw Kurt, and looked at him quizzically. It fell to Kurt to pass on the news to Flint, and let him know why his best friend had just run from the building…

Fortune was on Beats' side that day. He ran straight to the station, bought a ticket, and jumped on the branch line train just as the door were closing. He then ran across the platform and performed the same thing at the junction, boarding a late running express train rather than the usual semi-fast connection. The news finally broke to the public as the train thundered through Newark; Beats was alerted to it by a gasp of shock from someone else in the car. By the time the train came to a halt at Penn Station, it was the hot topic of conversation. His luck held once again as he ran to the subway, and in no time at all he was running the final yards along the street to Elliott's place. He was quite sure that there had been a fair bit of angelic intervention along the way. As he ran up to the street door to the block, someone else was leaving, so he did not even need to wait to be allowed in. He ran up the stairs, and before he was even right at the door, he could hear the anguished sobs coming from inside; the wailing that broke his heart…

He knocked on the door, cursing himself for not having taken up Elliott's offer of a key. Josh opened the door; he had been crying too, but Beats guessed it was more out of anguish for his brother. He stood aside, and nodded at Beats. He walked past and into the little living room, to find Elliot collapsed in a heap on the floor, hunched over on himself, his body shaking as he sobbed. Beats ignored the tears forming in his own eyes, threw off his coat, and knelt down next to him, placing an arm around his shoulders. Elliott looked up at him, and then threw himself into his chest, clinging to his boyfriend as he sobbed his heart out. Josh then knelt down by them, and Beats instinctively placed his other arm around the younger boy, and pulled him in close too.

How long the three of them were in that position they would never truly know, but they did not move apart until Elliott's tears had begun to subside. He was cried out, his eyes red and raw. "He's gone, Nate. The man that created and wrote so much that spoke to me…"

"I know, my love. Kurt told me how much you admired him once, and the moment that I heard, I knew that I had to come to you. I was in town, so it was no problem to head here and comfort you."

Elliott nodded at those words; he knew that it wasn't the truth, but with his brother in the room, Beats could not say how he had ended up there. He was so grateful to Kurt for knowing exactly what he needed - and a little jealous that he would now have a chance of meeting the great man…

For all of them that day it felt as if a bomb had gone off; as if part of them had been taken away. It wasn't as if any of them had actually been lucky enough to have met the man, or had even seen him pass by in the street, despite the fact that he had lived so close to them all. Only Isabelle could claim to have been in the same room as him, when he had accompanied his model wife to a fashion event. Across the city there was a sense of loss, something which echoed around the globe as the news spread. Dave arrived home to find Sebastian sitting quietly in a candlelit room, his greatest hits album on repeat, the tracks of previously cried tears marking his face. It was true that he was not the most musically minded of people, but he could still comprehend the sense of loss and despair that they were all feeling that day. Cooper would return home from work to tell Grace how subdued the show had felt that afternoon, and how he felt something akin to the loss he had felt when he had been informed by Sam that Wes had died.

The same mood was in evidence at the Spotlight, were a state of mourning seem to have come over both the staff and the customers. It was truly the end of an era. It would be late in the day when Elliott, flanked on either side by Beats and Josh, felt strong enough and compelled to head out to the nearest florist to purchase a bouquet of appropriate flowers, and head to the street on which his great idol had lived his final years. There were so many other people gathered there, but somehow they managed to find a way through the throng to place the flowers amidst all the others that were being placed on the sidewalk outside the main door to the apartment block. Then, after a brief moment of reflection, they walked away into a world that felt just a little bit emptier for all of them. Beats had informed Elliott that he was staying the night, as he had no classes the next day. After ensuring that Josh was safely home, they headed back home, where they would end up snuggled up in bed, Elliott encased in Beats' arms. It was a great source of comfort to the devastated man; he needed something to cling to as part of his world was ripped from him.

The next night saw the return of _Under the Spotlight_ after its Christmas break. This posed them all a dilemma. Given what had happened the previous day, it felt slightly wrong to be hosting a talent contest instead of paying some kind of tribute. At the same time there was the old adage - the show must go on. It was Kitty that suggested a possible solution, and all of them agreed that it might well work. Each of the contestants that was due to perform that evening was called, and requested to sing, if possible, a Bowie song for their piece. There were no dissenters in the end, all of them agreeing to do so without any argument. It was also agreed that the staff would perform their own tributes too. Elliott was rostered to be the manager that evening, and he agreed to do so, which surprised some of them, given how affected he had been the day before. Dani in particular had been expecting that he would need some time off to deal with the loss, but now that he had family around him, he felt able to cope with the grief so much more than he had before. That family included Beats now.

That morning, Elliott informed Beats as they enjoyed a leisurely breakfast that he would be returning to his full Starchild look that evening, something that he had toned down a lot in recent months. By the time that Josh appeared to accompany the two of them to the diner that evening, he was fully made up. This was the first time that Josh had met his brother's alter ego, and he had to admit that he liked it. He could understand why his brother had adopted this persona, so different was it to the elder brother he could recall living with him back in the family home in New Jersey. It was the real Elliott he was seeing; in time, he hoped that the real Josh would be revealed too; he had ideas, and he was developing them. He wanted to share them with Scott first and then his brother before he unveiled them to the world. He hoped that he would also find an ally in Beats as he went on his voyage of discovery.

As for Beats, he too was revelling in seeing Elliott in his full Starchild garb. He had to admit that seeing him like that was a total turn on. As a prep school boy, he was much more straight laced. Now, as he watched his boyfriend apply the finishing touches, he began to feel that maybe now it was time to start and rebel a little against the mould that he had been poured into; the perceptions that the world had of him. After all, he did use a little powder on his face whilst working in the bar…

When Elliott stood up, Beats promptly sat down in the seat he had just vacated in front of the mirror, and casually picked up the little tube that contained eyeliner. "So, how do you put this on then? It looks kind of fiddly to do, if I am honest…"

Elliott looked at him curiously, then spoke. "It is at first; it was Dani that taught me how to do it right. She had become tired of correcting all my mistakes so she just gave me a tutorial."

"Could you teach me?" said Beats, and those words made Elliott pause in surprise. Beats smiled, and said "Unless of course you don't think that I could rock a little bit of guyliner tonight…"

"I'm sure you could, but…"

"I'm trying it for me, Ell. It just seems like a good opportunity to do so, but if you don't like the idea…"

"No, I love it," Elliott replied with a grin. "Ok, so tonight, I think it would just be best if I did it for you. And maybe we could add just a little spot of glitter…?" Beats nodded, and let Elliott get to work. As he watched his face transform in the mirror, he began to wonder how Flint would react to his experiment…

The Spotlight was more crowded than ever by the time that Elliott and Beats arrived with Josh in tow. The competition itself had attracted its usual heavy crowd, but the rumour had spread around during the day that it was also going to be a bit of a Bowie tribute night like wildfire, and as a consequence, every single inch of space in the place had been occupied, from the stools at the counter to the booths, where people had squeezed themselves in to ensure that they could be present. The menu that night had been kept very simple; soup served in the large mugs that they usually reserved for hot chocolate, accompanied by either potato scones or soda bread was the quickest seller, as it took up very little space on the crowded tables. That evening's judging panel of Cooper and Kitty were in place on the side of the stage; Rachel was also there that evening, but she had offered to assist at the counter, returning to the role that she had occupied before Broadway had completely altered her life. Flint was stationed at his usual place at the coffee machine, with Ethan at his side, and it was the latter that spotted the three newcomers squeezing in through the door. He nudged Flint, who looked across, and saw his best friend made up just a little for the first time. It was a bit of a surprise, but not in a bad way.

As Elliott headed into the back, Beats and Josh made their way over to join the other two at the counter. "Hey guys," said Flint, "how are you? Is Elliott feeling a little better now that the news has sunk in?"

"Yeah, he is," replied Beats. "He was a total mess yesterday when I got there, but he cried it all out, and eventually we went and laid flowers outside his home. I think that helped, and today he seems to be coping a lot better."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it…" said Flint. "Ok, so, erm, guyliner and glitter. I have to be brutally honest and say that it actually suits you. It is also very fitting for this evening."

"Yeah, it seemed very apt… After all, Bowie was no stranger to this look himself…"

"Very true," said Flint, then after a moment of hesitation, he added quietly "In that vein, maybe you could do a little something to me. Maybe not the glitter, but…"

"I could actually see you with just a touch of guyliner," came a voice from behind them, and they turned round to see Izzy standing there, smiling broadly. "In fact," she continued, digging in her bag, "I think we should get that in place for you right now, and it might be easier if you allow me…."

By the time that the show was ready to commence, Izzy had not only applied a neat line of eyeliner to her boyfriend, but had been pressed into doing so for Nick, Jeff, Sam and Mike. Elliott had walked out just as she was applying it to the last of them, and he had smiled whilst shaking his head. A minute later, he was applying a little glitter to Jeff and Sam, much to the amusement of their respective partners. Ethan had declined however; they all knew why. He had been brought up with a very strict father and this had left him as probably the most straight laced of all the Warblers. At the last moment, Luke and Duncan had walked in, already sporting a very appropriate 1970s look. By the time that Seth arrived with Mason and Roderick, they felt very out of place without make-up, and quickly settled themselves between Ethan and Josh, who were similarly clean faced. Mason took the chance to introduce Josh to Seth and Roderick, and soon the four younger boys were chatting away quietly amongst themselves. As they did so, Seth could not help but think how much Josh reminded him of Colin…

All conversation in the place ended the moment that Elliott walked out onto the centre of the stage, his appearance as Starchild that evening earning him a round of appreciative applause. "Good evening, everyone," he said when it had finally died down. "Welcome one and all to another round of Under the Spotlight! Given the sad news that we all heard yesterday, it was decided unanimously that tonight should be a special memorial heat. All of our contestants tonight have agreed to perform a song from the great man's back catalogue, in a tribute to a man who was for me, growing up as a young gay man in the darkness of suburban New Jersey, a great shining light of hope; a hero. I am sure that many of you feel the same. However, before we begin the competition proper, some of the partners would like to sing a tribute or two of their own. So first up, please welcome one of the happiest couples that I know - give a round of applause for Nick and Jeff Sterling-Duval!"

Thus the show began, with Niff taking to the stage, Jeff on lead vocals, singing a perfectly judged version of _Life on Mars_ , which earned them a long round of applause, and to everyone's amusement, Kitty holding up a scorecard with a 9 on it. Shaking his head, Cooper then stepped up to the microphone, and after apologising that he might be a bit rusty, he sang _Space Oddity,_ with Sam performing his backing vocals. He gave it his all, and far from being rusty, it was another shining performance. Kitty gave him another 9 - but unseen to any of them, an older man was making a note in a little black book, which consisted of Cooper's name with a question mark beside it.

Cooper then returned to his usual spot next to Kitty, and she announced that the competition would begin. Each of the acts came on stage and sung their chosen song, which ranged across the entire time frame that Bowie had recorded in. Kitty was her usual acid tongued self; Cooper the voice of kindness and reason, but they all knew that they were making an allowance that night for the short notice of the theme, which meant they had less time to prepare. After the last act had performed, and whilst the judges deliberated, the stage was taken by Sebastian. He had arrived halfway through the contestants' performances; he had taken one look at the made-up faces around him, and had demanded that Elliott immediately do his. Elliott had spared nothing, and Sebastian looked quite the picture as he took to the stage. He performed _Rebel Rebel_ with Nick and Jeff backing him; then after he had received a partial standing ovation for his efforts, he launched into _The Jean Genie_ , which earned him admiring looks and a full standing ovation at the end.

After the results had been announced, and that week's winner, a junior from NYU had been awarded her prize, Elliott returned to the stage, took up the microphone, and gave them a performance that made Josh beam with pride at his talented big brother. The rendition of _Starman_ that Elliott gave that night was perfection, and the whole diner joined in on the chorus. All in all, it was a fitting tribute, and one of the most successful nights that the partners had enjoyed for months. Life was good for them all, and the future seemed brighter than ever.


	88. Epilogue

__**Epilogue.**

As Elliott sang his heart out onstage at the Spotlight, he was being observed from the side of the stage by Kurt and Blaine. They felt for their friends, and the sense that an era had come to an end with the passing of a legend. True, there was just a possibility that they might be able to meet him now, but it was remote if they were being completely honest. They had come to join their earthbound friends and had been a little overwhelmed by the numbers gathered there; by the fact that so many people had worn costumes, or just a little make-up. They sang along as heartily as the rest, but with the size of the crowd, none of the partners could hear them, although Brittany had seen them and waved in their general direction earlier. They had asked Finn to join them, but he was busy as usual with his collection duties. They were his way of dealing with the pain of losing Rachel. He might have consented to her moving on with Sam, but it didn't hurt any less, and he felt lonely at times; he had admitted as much to Wes one night. He was alone unlike the other three - even Wes had the hope of a future with his beloved Thad, and all the paperwork he kept himself occupied with was just a convenient way to pass the time until they were reunited.

Wes was also absent that night, still having four days of his heaven bound sentence to serve. He was finding it much harder to deal with than he would like to admit. He had been determined that his boys had to deal with life and all it threw at them without his help; but he had discovered that he needed them every bit as much. This had been thrown to the fore when some of his boys were being threatened, and had shown itself in the first few days. Admittedly, Jeff had been strong and spirited in his defence of Nick when Mr Duval had shown himself again, much to the shock not just of Nick and Mike, but to the great surprise of Jeff himself, who did not realise just how much power actually lay within him. Sebastian had also dealt with his father's visit and threats in a mature, collected manner. He was sorry to be missing the night of song though, and had insisted that Kurt and Blaine attend to make up for his own absence in the room.

Thus as Elliott sang, Wes was sat at his desk in the outer office, glancing over the latest report that had been sent by the futures committee. He looked up for a moment at the two photographs on his desk; the one of his Warblers, all standing happy and smiling in their last group photo at Nick and Jeff's wedding; if they had known what was to happen so soon afterwards... Next to it was his favourite photo of Thad - 'Only 76 more hours to go, and I will see you again, my love,' thought Wes. He smiled as he considered all that he had just read in the six month plan. The wedding they knew was coming was there, along with some of the proposals he had anticipated, but there was so much more. Although death itself seemed to be finished with the group of friends for the time being, there was still so much that was about to happen. In particular, one piece of shock news would turn the lives of several people upside down and change absolutely everything…

Wes smiled, and placed the document back into the relevant folder. He would disclose nothing from the report to his three fellow angels, at least, not yet. After all, there was nothing of great concern there, just a lot of change - and that, sometimes, was not a bad thing…

 _And there is the end of this part of the story! I will be back, hopefully by Christmas (time allowing) with a new part of the saga, picking up on the run up to Valentines Day 2016. Until then, thanks for reading, and to my reviewer..._


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